Upon A Pale Horse
by kimah36
Summary: A small outbreak of Xenomorphs has been reported, and it is the arbitrator's job to eradicate it. A year has passed since Kujhade and Jasmine have been on Yaut Prime, and things have gone as well as expected, but it changes when Kujhade is sent to deal with the outbreak on Earth. Part three of my Somewhat Damaged series.
1. Welcome to New York

**Present Day Earth:**

Sebastian James. He had no idea why his mother named a black kid from the boogie-down Bronx, Sebastian. It was the source of endless bullying in school. She'd told him she didn't want to name him any of those "ghetto" names a lot of black kids had. She wanted him to be better, and thought giving him a wealthy sounding name would go a long way to making that happen. She was wrong. He was about 5'8" and about 280lbs give or take. He wore very thick bifocal glasses, had a bad case of adult acne, and zero social life. On the bright side, he was employed. As a matter of fact, he was employed by one of the largest corporations in the world; the Weyland-Yutani Corp. They were the best, although Sebastian didn't know exactly what they were the best at. They seemed to be everywhere, doing everything. They were most notably in construction, but then again he'd been working for the last five years as the Head Custodian, and he'd seen some shit. Not everything was about skyscrapers and plots of land. Some of the areas in this underground structure were restricted even from him. It was these areas which had the actual word RESTRICTED painted in red, and surrounded by black and yellow striped rectangles.

Sebastian could hardly believe it sometimes. He'd started work in one of their high-rise apartment buildings, but he'd done such a great job, he'd been invited to a super-secret underground bunker. Well, he thought it was because he'd done such a great job. Really, it was because they'd done a background check and found he had no one. His mother had died of cancer a year before he was "promoted". He had no girlfriend, no children, no real friends. In short, no one would miss him should he never resurface. However, despite all this Sebastian was content with his life. It was quiet and solitary. The hall he was sweeping right now was clean and polished. It was always like that. He wielded the large push broom, but there was hardly ever any dirt. The floor was a glossy and polished as it had ever been, but he was paid to do a job, and if it was one thing Sebastian took seriously was responsibility. His mother taught him that.

He was almost done for the night. He would have been bopping his head to some music, but strict security policy prohibited any outside gidgets and gadgets from entering the facility. He was also hungry, and could hardly think of anything other than the pizza and fries he was gonna eat when he got out of here. Sebastian turned a corner down a restricted hall, pushing the broom aimlessly before him. He got to the end of that hall and found something very odd. At first he couldn't pinpoint the problem, but soon realized the door was ajar. The door was ajar. That never happened. Like, never. He stopped in front of it. Oh he was so curious, so curious indeed but he knew what that did to the cat. He'd let his curiosity get the better of him that time in school with Byron Hicks, and had paid a hefty price in the form of a bloody nose and a wedgie from hell. He took a deep breath, swallowed his curiosity, and reached for the large heavy steel lever-like handle to close it, but then he heard something. It sounded muffled or something. Sebastian shook his head, determined to ignore this anomaly, but then he heard it again. It sounded like…. a voice? His mind raced. Maybe someone was in some kind of trouble? If he ignored them they might die. If he saved them, he'd be a hero. Bravery wasn't his strong point though. Still, it couldn't be anything life threatening happening in a place like this. Maybe somebody had an accident with some machinery. Just a little help would be all that was needed. Surely he could offer a little help.

Taking a deep breath, he pushed the door open. He was still holding the broom in his hand. He was about to lean it against the wall, but a small voice inside his head warned him that that would be a very bad idea. So instead, he gripped the handle a little tighter and clutched it to his chest. This wasn't so much a room as it was a short hall which led to a staircase. The landing he was standing on was well lit, but the stairs immediately beyond was cloaked in darkness. No matter how he peered into it, he could see no lights, but then the sound came drifting up to him from it. Little beads of sweat gathered on his brow as he leaned forward. He was glad to find a banister was on his right-hand side, and he gripped it tighter than he thought was normal for someone who wasn't scared. At least he didn't think of himself as scared, not until he heard that muffled cry for a third time. His heart raced and thudded in his chest. He wiped a sweaty palm on his white shirt; the one with his name stitched neatly in cursive on the left side of his chest, and the beautiful yellow "W" printed above it. He gripped the banister again and leaned much of his weight upon it.

"H-hello?" He called out tentatively. Nothing. He took a couple of steps down, two-stepping like a toddler taking his first foray down a flight. He clutched the broomstick a little tighter, the thump-thump of the brush part hitting the steps giving him an odd reassurance. It was familiar. He dared not call again. His voice sounded strange, flat and he didn't like it. It gave him the willy-wogs. That's what he always called it; willy-wogs. He had to stifle a sudden giggle that wanted to bubble forth. It was ridiculous to even think about laughing.

He continued down despite his better judgement. The flight of stairs seemed to go on forever, and then suddenly he was at the bottom of it. It was pitch black, and he reached out a shaky hand in front of himself and felt the wall. He recoiled in disgust. It was slimy. He turned his head to the left and saw wall, he turned to the right and saw a short hall with another door standing ajar, a sliver of light spilling out. He gulped and turned into the light, thankful that he could see again. Once he got into the room beyond, he wouldn't be. The first issue was the smell. It was damp, and moldy, and disgusting. He could also taste the air as well as smell it, and it made his stomach do a lazy flop. Now gripping the broom handle with both sweaty palms, he inched towards the door. He stopped just outside of it and listened. Quiet, but there was no peaceful quality about it. It was the kind of quiet which preceded the breaking of a sound barrier. He inclined his head and heard the muffled cry again. It was definitely a person. It sounded like they did in the movies when somebody was gagged and trying to talk through it.

With the tip of the handle Sebastian chanced to open the door all the way, looking in before stepping in. What he saw beyond both intrigued and terrified him. At first he unconsciously had his mouth open in dumb awe, but closed it again upon tasting the foulness of the air. It was a large laboratory. The harsh florescent lights above shone down upon a room that looked as if a hurricane had hit it. It was dim despite the lights, and then he understood why. It was the walls. Most of the walls were covered in black. It wasn't paint, not by a long shot. It was some kind of substance he knew not the slightest thing about. It gleamed with a thick snot-like goop smeared all over it, but it also seemed to absorb the light in the room. It was as if there was no light except maybe natural sunlight which could illuminate this room. There were four long rows of tabletop. Workspace. It had a lot of sciencey looking equipment on it that he couldn't have named for a million dollars. They looked like scales, a few Bunsen burners which were still going, and empty bar height seats dotting the space in front of them. Some of these stools were overturned as if a great struggle had taken place. Beyond the four rows of white table top, stood four large containers. Three of them were empty, but one of them was not. Sebastian's eyes were saucers behind his bifocals as he took in a scene he didn't really comprehend. He was about to move towards this large tank, filled with a liquid and something very large and very strange floating inside, until something captured his peripheral vision. He turned his head to the right, and held out the broom in a feeble attempt at defending himself. There was something….no, someone _on_ the wall. The thing seemed to sense Sebastian looking at it, because it wiggled what looked like fingers and made that muffled noise again. Cautiously he stepped forward, but he was numb with growing terror. Never had he felt so much like the cat whose curiosity had written its death certificate, than he did right now. As he moved closer, the thing trapped inside the black stuff on the wall, began to move more frantically. With wide eyes, Sebastian was surprised to find he recognized this thing. It wasn't a thing at all, but Dr. Hughes. Dr. Olivia Hughes. She was just about the only one who ever spoke to Sebastian, and even though she'd never said anything beyond a 'good morning' as she hurried on her way, he suddenly felt connected to this woman. She was a good looking blonde, in her late forties or perhaps early fifties, but she was still pretty. Sebastian could tell that when she was younger she had been a great deal more than just pretty. This lady used to be a knockout. Right now, something was obscuring her face.

"Dr. H-hughes?" Sebastian asked in hushed tones. "I-is that you?" He knew it was her. As he took in the sight, he could see one of her pretty gray eyes, and one of her red pumps she always wore. He had no idea where the other one had gone off too, but it was enough to identify her.

With the end of his trusty broom handle he poked at whatever was stuck to her face. To his surprise, it fell off immediately. It was stiff and he was horrified to see that it seemed to be an animal of some sort. Certainly not one he had ever laid eyes on, nor wanted to lay eyes on ever again in his life. It was shriveled up like a dead bug, but it was far from a regular old bug.

"Ruuunnnn," Dr. Hughes groaned out hoarsely. Sebastian looked up in confusion. Then moving forward to help her, he nearly tripped over something on the floor. He looked down to see yet another thing he'd never seen before. He blinked a few times, not believing his eyes. Was this an….egg? It was huge, almost to his knees. His heart skipped a beat, then galloped in his chest when it began to slowly open up.

"Aaggh! Ruuuunnn!" She cried out again, but he couldn't move. Sebastian was frozen to the spot. Rooted like any old tree which had spent the last hundred years growing in the same place. His eyes were huge behind his lenses as he watched a living version of that creature make its way out of this impossible egg. He could barely tear his eyes away from the sight, but the distressed sounds coming from Dr. Hughes made him look up at her. Her eyes had rolled to the back of her head, and her chest was heaving mightily. He could hear the sickening crunch of bone, like something was trying to get out of her. He wouldn't have believed it had he not seen it himself. Just when he thought it was at its worst point, something _did_ come out. The warm splatter of blood hit him in the face, obscuring his vision. At the very same time, the thing in the egg had jumped and landed on his face as well. Instantly he began choking as whatever it was wrapped around his throat, restricting his windpipe severely. Sebastian stumbled back, running right into a table. The edge of which had jammed itself roughly into the small of his back. In the moments of time between him sliding helplessly to the floor and going unconscious, several thoughts passed through his mind; none of them pleasant. First, he now understood on the most basic level of his soul that _this_ is what it felt like to have a penis in your mouth. Sebastian had never had a penis in his mouth before, and never wanted to, but he was experiencing it just the same. Secondly, he also understood with no small amount of horror, that this was how it felt to be raped. This thing had slid something into his mouth and partially down his throat. It triggered his gag reflex and when his stomach tried to object, he was forced to swallow it back which burned and furthered the sensation of choking to death. Thirdly, it disgustingly tasted like the air in the room. It had a moldy, sour, stale quality which his stomach also protested against to no avail. He brought his hands up to pry it off, but it was no use. His hands fell limply to his side, and blackness overtook him

He blinked. Once, twice, three times. His glasses were still on his face. Remembering that something else had also been on his face, Sebastian went to pry it off, but there was nothing. He tried to focus, tried to remember even though a part of him thought it might have been better not to. He was still on the floor, but now he wasn't choking. Maybe….maybe it had been some terrible nightmare. Maybe he could just get up off the floor and things would be okay again. Yes, yes he would get up. He leaned his bulk forward, and felt a mind-numbing pain in his chest. He grabbed at his chest and drew in a ragged breath. He cast a look around, and recoiled at the sight of that bug thing, shriveled and dead right next to him. When he jerked himself backwards, that chest pain hit him again and made him cry out. He leaned himself back against the table and his eyes fell aimlessly to the wall in front of him. Dr. Hughes. She was still there, her lifeless body suspended, and her dead gray eyes pinning him down. He couldn't keep looking, so he allowed his eyes to drift upwards, but that had been the biggest mistake of his soon-to-be-over life. Above Dr. Hughes the wall moved. It seemed to uncoil itself like a snake, and as he watched it just kept uncoiling. At first his eye was trained on one spot, but soon other parts started to move. Like darkness incarnate, the uncoiling monster landed soundlessly in front of him. Sebastian felt the warmth spread beneath him as his bladder let go.

If he had known the words to describe it, Sebastian would have said he was now looking at a very young Xenomorph queen, just coming into her own. He would have known that the room he was currently about to die in, was no ordinary lab. It was a 'controlled' nesting space for the Xenos. A quaint little place where the good people at Weyland-Yutani believed they could study, and laughably, control this species' breeding habits and patterns. They had purposely allowed a queen to emerge, believing they could simply kill her if she got out of control, but that hadn't gone quite the way they'd planned. They hadn't known enough to anticipate even a young queen's influence on her drones. They thought only more mature queens commanded absolute obedience, and in a sense they were right. The more mature a queen was, the more control she could exert over a nest, but there had only been about five Xenomorphs not including the one in the tank that she couldn't awaken. With such a small number, the survival of the hive was paramount, and there would be no challenge to the queen's authority to that end.

Sebastian's mind simply could not make sense of what his eyes took in. Here in front of him was an alien which in no way resembled anything he had ever seen. It had two legs, suggesting it was bipedal, but all similarities began and ended there. It was as dark as night. Dark enough that it was difficult to discern one obsidian part of its body from the other; except the tail. _That_ was carving a lazy "S" behind it, as it seemed to do nothing more than wait. It snarled a little, but that was about all it did. For a moment, he thought he would have some sort of reprieve. After all, he hadn't been stuck on a wall yet. Thank the lord for small favors. He was frozen in his spot until the chest pain hit again, this time without relenting. He felt and heard his sternum giving way. He cried out, blood flying out of his mouth along with the scream, and his eyes once again took a trip to the back of his head. His legs jittered on their own, and his hands clenched into loose fists as he scratched the linoleum floor beneath him. Whatever it was inside him, finally tore free. He had only seconds to register that something alive had burst forth from his chest. A chest-burster. That was Sebastian James' last thought before he left this world. The term was more appropriate than he would ever get to know.

* * *

 **Two days later:**

She'd been gone just about two years or a little more than that, and Marcus Bledsoe had never recovered from it. There was a lot of non-recovery that went on during that time. His mother for instance. At first, the normal couple of weeks went by when Jasmine did not come around. This always bothered Marcus, and it bothered him this last time too. Then, three weeks, four, two months had gone by and no word from his sister. That was very unlike her. He started to worry, but there was no one to express his concern to. As the time ticked by, his mother became more and more volatile when she wasn't out of her mind on drugs. She'd taken to staying gone herself, getting high, turning tricks. Usually she would leave only for hours at a time, now it was days. Marcus was alone. His mother was emotionally unavailable, and when she did happen to notice his existence, she abused him physically, emotionally, and mentally. It got to the point where he would be relieved when she left for extended amounts of time. His grades began to suffer, although he managed to keep from failing freshman year. If he did a stint in summer school he would be a junior, but that was becoming less and less important.

Marcus had resisted the allure of gangs and petty crime, but he was still sort of in the streets. With no guidance except anger and hurt, he began to skip school. He wasn't aimlessly hanging out though. Off and on, Marcus had been on Jasmine's trail because no one else cared to be. He had been the one to report Jasmine missing, and that was when the full reality of the life she'd been living smacked him in the face. She was a whore. He'd suspected it because she just didn't seem the criminal type, but he was unprepared for the depth of that, and the drug use. Her rap sheet wasn't all that short. It consisted mostly of possession charges, and solicitation. The detective who shared all this with him, only did so after it became obvious that Marcus was relentless, and that whoever was the parent of this missing young lady was nowhere to be found.

His name was Det. Jimenez. A rather tall Puerto Rican guy, built like a freight train, but quite soft spoken. He had soft brown eyes, which were kind but they could see much. They saw a young man, lost and twisting in the wind. Det. Jimenez took a sort of pity on young Marcus, and did his best to guide him from a distance. It was he who showed Marcus the MMA gym not too far from Marcus' high school. Marcus wasn't the gang bang type, but he was angry and frustrated, and sooner or later, if he wasn't reigned in, Det. Jimenez knew he'd be processing him through the revolving door system. If he could save just one, he would. Marcus took to the gym like a moth to a flame. He was now only sixteen, just about 6'0", and very wide for his age. Not a bit of fat anywhere. He was built like a linebacker, and wasn't done growing. Det. Jimenez didn't know that Marcus had become a spitting image of his father Terrell.

Marcus was at the gym. He'd spent his lunch break and the next two periods there. He had taken up a corner by himself. He was on top of a heavy bag practicing his ground and pound, and imagining it was Jasmine. He knew it wasn't right, knew it wasn't her fault, but she'd left him. She'd left him all alone with their monster of a mother after she _promised_ she wouldn't do that. Jasmine promised him that she would rescue him, and now she was gone. Just up and left. No word, no goodbye, no sign, not even a body to give him closure. All his teachers, the cops, the principal, and even Det. Jimenez told him to just remember her in his heart, but move on. It wasn't healthy to constantly brood over her disappearance, but that was easier said than done. It worried him in the back of his mind and his heart. Jasmine's body would never be found, because she wasn't dead. More importantly, someone knew where she was. Someone knew where she was, and he was going to find her. He didn't know how he was going to do it, but he was.

Marcus punched the bag until his knuckles were swollen, and he could barely lift his arms. He decided he was done for the day, went to take a quick shower, and made his way out. He'd stayed until school was out, again. Jimenez wouldn't like it, but Marcus just shrugged, hefted his bag on his shoulder and headed to the burger joint on the corner. As he walked and ate his double cheeseburger, he went over all the old facts he'd gathered. He'd narrowed her favorite haunts down to a specific area, which was known for prostitutes and druggies. Most didn't want to talk to some kid they didn't know, but there were a few who did. One in particular, a girl known around the hood as Tweety because she was so light-skinned, had been very talkative. She wanted to screw him, but he was fifteen at the time and terrified of the thought of sex. He was a little older now and a bit less terrified, but still didn't want his first time to be with a whore. All in all, Tweety had been the most helpful. She talked to him, she said, because he was cute like a lost little puppy dog. She was sure that the last time she'd seen Jasmine, she had gone to a shelter of some kind. The Love Outreach or something. For reasons unknown, Marcus had never actually gone to pay that place a visit. Every time he thought about it, warning bells and whistles went off in his head, and he always found something else to do. He'd told Jimenez about it, but the cop dismissed it as an invalid lead. Plenty of transients passed through places like that. They have a moment of clarity, wanna get clean, start a program, just to leave when the urge gets too bad. That was probably what happened to her, Jimenez assured Marcus, but it didn't work.

He found himself finishing his burger while sitting on a bench on the street. He got up and tossed the greasy wrapper in the nearby trashcan and wiped his hands on his pants. He hefted his gym bag again and walked towards the subway. Today was the day, and he'd better do it before the sun went down. Marcus wasn't a coward, but that part of town was even more sketchy than the one he semi-lived in. He took a deep breath, checked his fare, and descended the subway stairs.


	2. Challenge Accepted

**A/N: Hey guys! I'm back with the third installment of the Somewhat Damaged Saga. If you haven't read it from the top and you want to, Somewhat Damaged is the first, Blood of My Blood is the second. Thanks as usual to all who have reviewed already, and favorited and followed! I appreciate it greatly. Hope you all enjoy this installment as much or more than the others!**

* * *

Present Day Yaut Prime:

"Get up! Both of you!" Dteinou yelled. Jasmine rolled her eyes and made it to her feet. The young female pup that Dteinou and T'chnde had more-or-less adopted, sprang to hers. Show off. Ever since she'd undergone a series of medical treatments to regrow her tongue, Dteinou had added her cutting remarks to the rigorous training she'd spent the past year or so administering.

"C'mon ooman, or can't you take it?!" The young nameless female teased. Dteinou had refused to name her prior to their upcoming chiva.

"Shut the fuck up before Dteinou kicks you in the ass again," Jasmine teased back. The female chuckled, but they both snapped their eyes forward at the sound of Dteinou growling.

She paced back and forth like a caged animal. They were all in like a public kehrite, a boxing gym for predators. She was in the kiddie section of it. All around her were predators right around the age of the young female, which to Jasmine seemed equivalent to a group between the ages of fifteen and eighteen if she had to guess it in human years. It was shameful that she, a grown woman, had to be there but she supposed it was for the best. After all, she was being trained now for her chiva. The Matriarch had made it quite clear, that Jasmine's honor would be judged along the same code that all yautja lived by. She had a life mate, and sucklings, so she had adopted their lifestyle. It would not be complete nor respected very much if she could not even pass the most basic test; the chiva. Once it was settled that she pretty much had to do it, it had been Kujhade's idea to hand her over the Dteinou. Jasmine made the mistake of thinking that their adventure together would cause Dteinou to be lenient. She was sadly mistaken.

Jasmine glanced over across the open space. The whole thing was sitting underneath a canopy, sort of like those large tent revivals. It was extra hot, and Jasmine was still adjusting even after all this time. Due to the atmosphere, she wore two very small nasal devices, one in each nostril. They didn't need a tank or outside air source, as they acted as self-contained filters. Her eyes searched among the very small pups to find her own. She spotted them, then her heart sank. Yeyinde, formerly known as Marcus, was playing happily with the other pups. Mili on the other hand had been ostracized. It had begun early. He was sitting, banging some metal toy against the ground and seemingly content. He did occasionally glance up towards his brother. He finally made a move. He got up and toddled his way over. Immediately, he was rebuffed harshly by all except his brother. One little pup even advanced upon Mili, but that was a mistake. Mili crouched and flared his little mandibles. His legs were stout now, having shed much of his baby fat as had his brother. Yeyinde had also moved to confront the group of small children, and at that display, they backed off angrily. Mili stood a moment, and simply went back to his toy, on the far outskirts of the group.

 _Thwack!_

"Ow!" Jasmine screamed. She looked up to see Dteinou towering over her. She'd punched her in the arm, and now there was a bruise forming. Her body was full of them.

"Pay attention! The pups will sort themselves out. You must stop hovering over them, and pay attention to your own training. Distraction will kill you, now come!" She ordered, and Jasmine had no choice but to obey.

* * *

Kujhade stepped out of the Matriarch's domain, into the harsh glaring sun. He'd been visiting her often in between performing local arbitrator duties. These included basically policing the higher ranking yautja. Most of them understood and adhered to the rules rigidly, which made Kujhade's job easier. The way in which Dhi-rauta had demonstrated a liking for him, shielded him from the ostracism and derision of his kind. He didn't think she'd meant to do that. She was simply curious over his choices for a mate, and his choice for creating a family with said mate. She'd come to be fond of his pups as well, inviting him to bring them along on these short visits. The Matriarch had even invited Jasmine to one or two private meetings as well. Apparently, she was curious how prey could ever feel comfortable and be willing to mate with and live with their direct predator. Jasmine would not tell him how she'd answered those questions, but whatever she said seemed to please Dhi-rauta very much. Kujhade had been quite relieved over that. He never told anyone, but he was extremely worried over what the Matriarch would decree. She had every right to banish him, strip him of his title, and replace it with that of a bad blood. His taking of a human as his mate and daring to breed with her, made that a real possibility. He came before her completely prepared to accept whatever ruling except separating from Jasmine, or either of their deaths. He would reject that, and officially become a bad blood if he needed to. Thankfully, he didn't need to do any of that. He rather enjoyed getting to know the Matriarch on a more personal level.

Just as he was headed towards the public kehrite, he heard footsteps coming quickly behind him. He turned, and his jaw dropped. He'd never expected to see….her.

"Oh, pick your mandibles up off the ground Pale One," she said. She was a little taller than him, solidly built but still feminine, her skin a mottled olive green and dark brown, and she was absolutely beautiful. More than he remembered.

"R'ka? What are you doing on the home planet? I thought you were out hunting everything in your path?" Kujhade said, good-naturedly.

"Heh, and I thought you were out killing bad bloods and mating oomans. Funny how we ended up here then, huh?" R'ka said, circling him slowly and trying to gauge his reaction to her.

"How do you know about Jasmine?" He asked, then silently cursed himself.

"Oh so that's her name is it? Interesting. Where is she? I'd like to take a look at this, ooman, who managed to capture the attentions of one of our most illustrious hunters," She cooed, as she circled back to his front.

 _More like challenge her_ , Kujhade thought to himself.

He started walking in the direction of the kehrite, R'ka walking casually alongside. The streets were full. The Matriarch's domain was mere steps from the bustling marketplace, and Kujhade was pleased to find that even here on the home planet, they parted at his coming and avoided him rigidly. There were sellers of everything from naxa fruit to weapons, but any self-respecting hunter earned or had his weapons specially made. Only pups and young bloods bought common low quality weapons such as these.

The marketplace sprawled for what on Earth would be considered a mile or so in each direction. The yautja lived in one city-state. It was not divided into territories like states, countries, or even other cities. Everything happened in one large, but very organized place. It was however divided by caste and the boundaries were kept strictly at all places, except the marketplace. All were welcome to buy or ply their trade here. It was one of a few which were located more-or-less in the middle of the city. The marketplace, the public kehrite, and large ship bay, were all located in a valley amidst the tall, but squat buildings which surrounded it like a mountain range. The buildings in this part of the city were all occupied by higher ranked yautja. Some were domiciles, and some were more official in function. These served as places where hunts were discussed and coordinated, where judgment was passed down in their courts, and where other important decisions were made. Each major clan leader had their own building reserved to conduct the private business of their clan. Beyond the buildings were the caste districts. Each housed the living quarters of those bound to the home planet, either with honor or without it. These places were in large part governed by the females and their own clans, which consisted of their own lineage. This is where they reared their pups, and woe to any non-clan member or outside female who dared to enter territory which did not belong to them. Any intrusion was viewed as a direct threat to any pups, and was dealt with accordingly. No one could come there unharmed except arbitrators on official business, the Matriarch herself, or one of her court. Any outside of that risked injury or death.

All other districts housed retired hunters who were too injured to continue the hunt. Those of them who were simply too old, but had a long history of successful hunting and siring, were raised to more official ranks, and quite frankly lived better. If they had the misfortune of becoming injured in a failed hunt, but did not manage to _die_ during such a hunt, then they were banished to a rank just shy of being a bad blood. It was a shameful position, and many did not show their faces anywhere. Those who were brave enough, and physically able to at least somewhat defend themselves, found work within the marketplace. The others only had two choices; die in ignominy, or leave for the final hunt never to return. Only on the latter choice could the honor of their name and any lineage, be restored.

Kujhade and R'ka walked in companionable silence for a few moments. He knew she wanted to ask, but he would wait until she actually did. He could have volunteered the information on exactly what happened to her brother Bakuub, but it would be all in due time. For now, R'ka was adjusting to his presence, for the second time around. She stopped to take a look at a fruit vendor's stand. Kujhade waited patiently alongside.

"Are you going to attend the festival tonight?" She asked, perusing the fruits and not looking at him.

"What festival?" He asked. She whipped her head around, and smiled briefly.

"Has it been that long since you've been away from the home planet Pale One? It is the first night of Paya's moon, marking the beginning of mating season. Did you forget it?" R'ka asked, turning back to pick more fruit, pay and gesture to Kujhade that they continue walking.

"Why would I attend such a festival? No one is going to mate me, we both know that R'ka," Kujhade replied, irritated at the reminder.

"Well, despite your appearance, the Matriarch seems to favor you. It would appear that has placed you on the list of viable mates," she said, gauging his response. He didn't seem phased by it at all.

"I'm not going to attend that. There's nothing for me there. Besides, I have a life mate now," he stated. It didn't sound too confident from what R'ka could tell.

"Unfortunately," she quipped.

"And just what the hell does that mean R'ka? And watch your answer," Kujhade warned. He didn't know how Jasmine dealt with it; questioning her mate. He was unaccustomed to having to defend or answer for any decision he made. He was used to making his own decisions, and having only the rules of the hunt apply to him universally. His private life was just that; private. As far as he was concerned, his social ostracism removed him from the arena of every other yautja's judgment on the matter. On the other hand, he was far from stupid. It was the fact that Jasmine was a human which was the sticking point. No one cared whether he mated another race or not, but life-mating a human was unheard of except on the rarest of occasions.

"A ooman, Kujhade? You couldn't do any better than a lowly piece of prey?" R'ka asked with a mockingly sympathetic tone.

"I tried to "do better", but you wouldn't mate me again. After our pup…"

"Don't blame me! I did what I had to do!" R'ka said, turning on him with a snarl. Kujhade regarded her coolly, and crossed his arms over his chest.

"After our pup, every female shunned me. I moved on. I found a female who would sire my pups, and that's that," Kujhade said, and he could see R'ka working up a rebuttal.

"Did she have a choice? Probably so paralyzed with fear, she would have done anything you said. We can be persuasive," she said, still gauging his reactions. He was angry, but then again she loved him when he was angry.

"No. If she wanted to live, she did not have a choice…" he wanted to add more. He wanted to say that it had started off without a choice, but now Jasmine loved him and their pups. He wanted to say that Jasmine was with him of her own will now, but why? Why would this be any of R'ka's business? It wasn't, and he didn't owe her an explanation, so he left the sentence unfinished. She chuffed with satisfaction, and kept walking. She knew how far to go, and when to quit with Kujhade.

"In any case, I still want to see this, Jasmine. A ridiculous name by the way. Did she name your pups with stupid ooman names as well?" R'ka asked, chuckling and poking the bear one more time before dropping the subject.

Kujhade faced forward, not willing to dignify the back-handed question with an answer. The silence between them became slightly uncomfortable for R'ka, and he thought she would take her leave, but she didn't. She just kept pace with him until they finally reached the kehrite. Kujhade stood at the edge of the large multi-tent structure and watched his life mate spar with Dteinou and the young blood. They were wrapping it up. Kujhade took this opportunity to search out his pups. He walked around the side and found them in a play pit with other young pups. He clicked to them, and when they turned to see their sire, they toddled as quickly as they could to him. Instead of allowing themselves to be picked up, they climbed him like a tree all the way to his head. They were grunting happily and screaming to the top of their lungs. R'ka stood back a bit, but was entranced nonetheless by them; particularly Mili. At that moment, he turned towards her and gave her a curious grunt, tossing his little head to the side. His short dreads were just now becoming visible, unable to drape over his shoulder like his father. Mili turned to Kujhade who was now holding him on his hip.

"Who that papa? Who that?" He asked, pointing a small claw in R'ka's direction.

"Yeah Kujhade, who that?" Jasmine asked, walking up to him and the pups.

"Mama, who that?" Yeyinde said in his raspy little voice. He was also pointing at R'ka.

"This is…"

"My name is R'ka although you hardly have the right to speak it, prey," she thundered, stepping forward to stand over Jasmine threateningly.

Jasmine was a walking bruise, but she did not shrink back from the enormous female. In fact, she straightened her back, and lifted her chin defiantly. She was a couple of feet shorter, but held her ground just the same. At that moment, R'ka stepped up and pushed Jasmine to the ground, then stood over her. She put her hands on her knees to come a little closer. This, coupled with her training had Jasmine about ready to lay there and collapse. She tried to sit up, but a hot meaty hand on her chest kept her in place.

"Looks like we're going to have some good entertainment tonight at the festival. You, me in a fight for the right to mate Kujhade. When I beat you, you'll have the pleasure of watching me teach you how to properly mate one of our males," R'ka said with a snarl that seemed more pleased than angry to Jasmine.

When R'ka stepped back, Jasmine scrambled to her feet. R'ka had turned her back, sauntering off, but Jasmine ran up behind her and gave her a good kick to her ass. It barely made her stumble or break her stride, but she wheeled around on Jasmine just the same.

"Yeah turn your big ass around bitch!" Jasmine hissed out, extending her spear and taking a stance.

"You got me three different types of fucked up, if you think you can march your ugly ass over here and challenge me for my man!" She exclaimed.

At first R'ka wore a shocked expression, then a moment later she actually laughed before grabbing her own weapon. She drew the spear and pointed a claw in Jasmine's face. She started to say something, but before she could speak, Jasmine had smacked her hand with the handle of the spear.

"Bitch, get your hand outta my fucking face!" She spat. Jasmine could feel her heart start hammering, and her system start to dump a load of adrenaline into her blood stream. How dare she? Who the hell was this anyway, and why did she think it was okay to come talk to her this way? In fact, why hadn't Kujhade stepped in yet? She glanced over, and he seemed shocked, and she caught a whiff of his mating scent. He was giving her that look, but she couldn't pay that any mind. For some odd reason, he was horny as well as taken aback. This was probably some weird ass alien tradition she didn't know about, but she still didn't appreciate it. Apparently on Yaut fucking Prime, it was par for the course to come challenge another woman for her man. Jasmine knew they weren't a monogamous species, but she thought challenging for life mates was off limits. Obviously not though, by the looks of things.

"You little pauk'de ooman….."

"Enough!" Dteinou thundered, as she stepped in front of R'ka.

"Dteinou. The Matriarch's errand girl. This isn't your business. I've challenged this weak ooman to a duel, and…."

"And it was a dishonorable thing to have done, not to mention stupid beyond even you R'ka. Kujhade is her life mate, he's off limits unless he and his mate agree otherwise. You know this, or do you have need of a reminder?" Dteinou stated, placing a hand on the hilt of her sword, and daring R'ka to defy her.

R'ka huffed as she glanced between Jasmine and Dteinou. Finally, she stepped back; a sign that she had stood down.

"Smart girl. Run along now, young one. You have a festival to attend. Find a suitable mate there if you can," Dteinou said dismissively and turned to face Jasmine.

"Are you alright?" She asked. Jasmine nodded.

"Yeah, I'm just fine," Jasmine said, then looked at Kujhade. He was still holding the boys, who were babbling excitedly to each other.

"What kind of festival is this Kujhade, and why does she wanna have sex with you so bad?" Jasmine asked in a huff, with her hands on her hips. She was flustered and still angry. She was also deciding if any of that anger needed to be directed at a certain albino male yautja.

"It's just a mating ritual. Mating season…it's tonight Jasmine," he said, his deep baritone a little too breathy. He then gave her a once over, and his mating musk kicked up a half a notch.

Both Jasmine and Dteinou rolled their eyes in unison.

"Males,"

"Men,"

They said at the same time on their respective languages.

"I would not dismiss it so casually great Dteinou Thei-de. T'chnde should be searching you out tonight as well," Kujhade said, in a rare instance of teasing.

"Never mind about T'chnde pale hunter," she said, but then couldn't hide the blush that passed over her crest.

"Can I get a mate too?" The young female asked Dteinou. She'd been hanging back, but now sidled right up to her adoptive mother.

"Not until after your chiva, when you become worthy to be a bearer," Dteinou answered casually. The female seemed highly disappointed in this answer.

"Well, if I'm going to be going to this festival I better get out of here and get some rest. C'mon little guys, let's go home," Jasmine said. She noticed Dteinou and Kujhade pass a look between them.

"Jasmine, you need not attend a yautja mating ritual. There is nothing for you there except danger perhaps. I'll not allow it," Kujhade said, putting the pups down so that they could toddle along at least for a little while.

"Nope. I was challenged by Big Bertha so I'm going. Let it never be said that Jasmine Bledsoe was a punk bitch. We're both going," she said confidently, and began marching in the direction of their home.

Kujhade gave a questioning look to Dteinou, who only shrugged and went her own way, the young blood following close behind. He turned to follow Jasmine, liking the view of her finely muscled rump and curvy hips sway with the motion of her walk. He closed his eyes and took a breath, then caught up with his family.


	3. The Sacrifices We Make

The train ride was only about fifteen minutes not counting the wait. As usual, the subway was crowded. Marcus hustled onto the train and then found a spot to stand and hold on for the jaunty ride. Other people crowded in next to him, each finding a spot to grab onto. He kept one hand on the strap of his bag, and kept his eyes on everybody. You had to watch out for anybody that looked like trouble. You had to watch out for the drunk group of guys at the end of the car who were talking too loud and picking with people. You had to watch out for the group of high schoolers who were doing the same thing, only they didn't have the excuse of inebriation. After taking in the general crowd, his eye finally settled on a sleeping woman a few seats down from where he was standing. From the side, she looked like his mother, and he had to do a double take to make sure it wasn't. She was obviously homeless. The man sitting next to her could have thought of several other places he would have liked to sit, but he was stuck. He was drawn in on himself as much as he could be, knees up, briefcase in his lap, and shoulders hunched. Marcus empathized as his eyes fell back on the woman. She was leaned all the way over, touching the passenger on her other side, waking with a start every time the train jumped; which was quite often. She looked around momentarily incoherent, then her eyes met Marcus'. She hadn't looked as much like his mom as he thought, but he still couldn't help thinking of her.

He had no idea where she was now, but that wasn't the case in the months after Jasmine had gone missing. Angela was in and out of the house more often than usual. At first he thought she had been looking for Jasmine. It had been a month since she'd come around, and he was the first one to bring it up in conversation. That was a mistake he paid for.

" _Don't keep talking about that fucking whore while you stand under my roof, you got that you little bastard?" Angela said angrily from the kitchen._

 _Marcus was in his usual spot, in front of the TV playing Call of Duty, or Halo, or any number of games. He had quite a few. He had paused it to ask if she thought something had happened to his sister._

" _But momma, she's never gone this long without seeing me. I think something happened to her. What if she's dead or something?" He asked, unable to hide the worry in his voice._

 _He'd been watching her make peanut butter and jelly sandwiches from the small kitchenette. She was standing at the counter facing him, now she was looking at him with her familiar look. It was a dangerous look, reserved only for times when Jasmine was the subject of conversation._

" _Nothing happened to her. She's a street whore, and a drug addict and that's what they do. They stay out, and they drop off the face of the fucking Earth, and I don't wanna hear any more about her," Angela said, her tone low and dangerous. It was spoken with a self-righteous tone, as if she herself didn't fit that very description._

 _He watched her warily, and licked his lips in a nervous gesture. She had been making the sandwiches using the big kitchen knife rather than a spreading knife. He glanced back up at her face, his eyes suddenly wet._

" _Why do you hate her so much? You don't even care if she's dead or not, do you?!" He screamed out, then immediately regretted it when his mother came around the counter, knife in hand._

" _No, I don't care if she's dead. I hope the little bitch is dead, but I thought I told you to shut up talking about her?" She said, stalking him._

 _He stood up and dropped his controller. His breathing sped up, and he instinctively backed up, cursing himself when he felt the edge of the couch and the wall behind him. He raised his hands defensively, preparing for what was next._

" _Put your arms down Marcus," she said simply, as if it were a normal command. He shook his head, struggling with his initial reaction to simply obey her._

" _I said put them down," she ordered again. He refused once more. Like the strike of a snake, she struck him twice. It took a moment to realize that she had cut his forearms with the knife. He only realized it when he glanced down to see small rivulets of blood running down his arm, and starting to drip off his elbows. Once he saw the cuts, they began to throb and ache. He looked back up at her, surprise and hurt in his eyes._

" _You… you cut me," Marcus said in a small bewildered voice. Her eyes narrowed on the cuts, then on his face, and she raised the knife again threateningly._

" _I'll do more than that, if you ever speak her name in this house again. Do you understand me?" She asked, daring him to contradict her even in his body language._

 _Hot tears streamed down his face. She had beaten him before, but she had never done anything like this. What was once a seed of resentment blossomed into a forest of pure hatred and betrayal. What had become of his mother? Who was this woman standing here, who would dare hurt him this way, then tomorrow proclaim her undying love for him? She blinked once, twice, then looked at her handiwork. Whatever had gotten into her at these times, seemed to pass over her face and out of her body, and she became Angela his mother once again. Something akin to regret read in her eyes and she lowered the knife. She backed away and went into the kitchen, returning with a few paper towels bunched in her hands. She began to wipe up the blood from his arms. Marcus wanted desperately to pull away from her grip, but dared not set her off again._

" _I told you to stop Marcus. Now look what you made me do," she said, fretting over him now as if he were five, and had merely spilled his juice on himself._

" _Hold these paper towels, I'll be right back, baby," she stated, then hurried to the bathroom. He stood there, trying not to sob, but the tears wouldn't stop. Angela came back with some alcohol and bandages. Quickly, she bandaged the cuts and stood back to look at her work. The cuts weren't life-threatening, but they were deep enough to consistently bleed through the bandages._

" _It'll stop in a minute, so stop crying," she said, watching the tears fall from his eyes._

" _Okay," he mumbled, then did his best to wipe them away. She had momentarily become his mother, but now that monster was re-entering her bloodstream. He could see it in her eyes, and the set of her body. She became a little more rigid, and her eyes were cold._

 _She's going to kill you. She's going to eventually kill you, and you'll be stupid if you stay._

 _The thought frightened him so much, he inhaled sharply as if startled. She gave him a disinterested look, then went back to the kitchen to finish the sandwiches. Not knowing what to do next, he simply sat down in front of the television and partook of the small lunch. When she left later that night, Marcus took a butcher's knife from the kitchen, hid it under his jacket and left to find Jasmine. He had gone out at least a couple of times a week since that night._

Absently, he rubbed his fingers over the healed cuts on his forearm. The train jerked to a stop as the announcement came over the PA that he'd reached his destination. Along with the few other people getting off with him, he marched up the steps to the street above. The sun was declining quickly, and the wind had picked up a little. It was headed into summer, but spring was hanging on for dear life anyway. He had on a light jacket over his t-shirt, and pulled it closed a little as he began to walk in the direction of the shelter. The streets didn't look any less trashy than the subway platform he'd just exited. The light breeze was picking up and swirling paper and other refuse in mini cyclones on the sidewalk. Even near the shelter, homeless people lined the streets in small huddled groups. Most eyed him suspiciously, but others begged for any money he had. Marcus ignored them as he made his way to the shelter. He stopped when he reached the front. It had a shabby sign painted above the doorway, although it did seem like someone took enough pride to sweep around the entrance. He stood in the same spot, with the same expression as his sister had nearly two years ago, and read the sign.

 **Love Outreach Shelter and Mission**

 **Sponsored by the Weyland-Yutani Corporation**

" **Building A Better Future"**

"Hmph," he scoffed, pushed the doors open, and went inside.

* * *

The structure was buried deep underground. It was below even the subway tunnels. It covered a width of a couple of miles in each direction, and it was quickly becoming a festering Xenomorph haven. It was barely being held at bay by a veritable army, created, trained, and funded by the Weyland-Yutani corp. The city above was blissfully unaware of the danger lurking beneath them, and Mr. Weyland's successor wanted nothing more than to keep it that way. Cynthia Weyland, the great granddaughter of the late great Mr. Bishop Weyland, sat in her high-backed Corinthian leather executive chair, and watched the scene play out on the monitors before her. Her assistant stood pensively by the doorway, watching her boss' reactions. Cynthia on the other hand seemed not to be bothered, but that was just on the outside. Inside, she was a nervous wreck. She wasn't a scientist but she'd been in the field a few times, and had witnessed firsthand how dangerous these aliens were.

Small tactical teams, outfitted with equipment which was reputed to be able to withstand the alien's acidic blood, roamed through the facility. They were concentrated mostly in the area where the outbreak began. Over the course of forty-eight hours, that area had been overtaken, the scientists and employees within killed, and the nest spreading. They had yet to locate the queen and kill her; if in fact there was a queen. That fact hadn't been confirmed, but if she existed she would need to be killed to properly ensure the death of this new hive. As far as Cynthia was concerned, her company was prepared for such contingencies. They'd quelled similar uprisings before, and there was no reason to believe that it couldn't be done this time.

 _The other times, they didn't have a queen. That's the difference._

She carefully blinked the thought away behind her designer prescription glasses. One perfectly manicured nail tapped the cherry wood desk, the only sign of any nerves on her part. She kept her sapphire blue eyes glued to the screens. She watched as a small group went into the thick of the breeding nest.

The captain of Bravo Group Two silently signaled the five other soldiers behind him to take position. Just like they'd trained, they all posted in a staggered position just before the door which had been torn off the hinges. The darkness of the room seemed to reach beyond the threshold to envelop them all in its unsettling embrace. They each turned on their night vision goggles, and one by one entered the nest. The smell was stifling, and it had taken on a damp, moldy quality. The walls, ceiling, and most of the floor was caked with whatever they constructed the nest from. The captain hated to think about that. He imagined it was made of their spit or something. It was always slimy and slick, and it made his stomach turn to think of it.

"Armstrong, on my six," he ordered quietly but firmly. Armstrong made her way over, and guarded his back.

The room was more silent than an empty cemetery. There was no movement, and nothing even seemed to be alive in here, but the captain knew better. He'd encountered these Xenomorphs before, and he didn't think people gave them enough credit. They were ravenous beasts, but they had a level of cunning which was just enough to make them even more frightening beyond measure. It was this cunning which had allowed them to escape in the first place. The scientists here had been lulled into a false sense of security, and now the company was paying the price. Their security procedures, mechanisms, and fancy equipment hadn't helped. The only equipment to rely on now was the semi-automatic weapon with the armor piercing rounds in his hands. It was made of the same material as their armor, which was supposed to withstand the alien's acidic blood. The gun was light weight and translucent, but the design was based primarily on the AK-47 with a few handy-dandy upgrades. It came with a small digital display which helped with targeting, and much improved accuracy. It was designed specifically for bug hunts, and the captain refused to use any other gun but this. It'd saved his ass too many times to give it up.

Carefully, they moved through the large room. The captain only had to glance up at the walls to see what had happened to everyone. They were all dead, but had all been cocooned. No one had been killed outright, at least not in here, and from his count there were at least ten, perhaps more. Every last one of them had an empty chest cavity. He looked up towards the ceiling and saw nothing but open ventilation ducts, and when he looked around there was a faint sliver of light coming from the far wall. It shouldn't have been there. The room was sealed, one way in and one way out, but they'd created a way hadn't they? The fuckers. Stupid bugs were just smart enough to fuck you over royally. He looked back up at the ducts, and he could have sworn he saw something move. He couldn't be sure, but better safe than sorry. Those ducts didn't seem to have been sealed off as safety protocols would have dictated.

"Copy to command, this is Captain Emerson. Ventilation compromised, I repeat, ventilation compromised. Copy to teams Alpha, Bravo One, and Charlie," he said calmly into the mic in his helmet.

"Everybody keep your fucking eyes peeled. We got company," he said to his small team.

The hairs on his neck had stood on end as they did whenever those bugs were around. He couldn't see them, but he sure as hell could feel them. Just as he was signaling his team to complete the sweep, the staccato of gunfire rang out. First a single gun, then a chorus as all of them shot first and asked questions later. The captain held up a fist, and the gunfire petered out. They hadn't shot anything, or at least nothing was dead except the people on the walls.

"Weidman, what the actual fuck?!" The captain called out. Weidman's eyes were as big as saucers when he turned around.

"I saw something cap, it was there," Weidman said, his voice shaky with fear.

"Fuck, man…"

"Scared the living shit outta me…"

"Goddamnit…"

"Alright, alright. Shut the fuck up and let's clear this goddamn room," he whisper shouted. A round of "yes sir's" was followed by Weidman's choked cry as he was lifted into the air slowly. A sharp bony tail was protruding from his midsection, as he stared dumbly at it, then horribly into the captain's eyes. The captain could have done without the pleading look. "Help me" that look said, so the captain raised the muzzle of his gun, and aimed just above and behind Weidman and fired. That was followed by a hail of gunfire.

A shrill cry cut above the racket, and then it tore Weidman in half, dropping the pieces like trash. Armstrong, who had moved into better position to shoot, was drenched in Weidman's blood. Hauser, who'd been in the company less than a year, could not avoid being hit with Weidman's torso and knocked out. Sickeningly, Weidman was still seeming aware, his eyes wide and unseeing, his arms flailing, and his finger on the trigger of the AK. He squeezed off several shots before it stopped, but he'd managed to kill Evans anyway. Now there was just the captain, Armstrong, and a young man named Mendenhall left. They looked to the captain for answers, but he had only one.

"Shoot anything that fucking moves!" They obeyed.

The walls themselves seemed to come alive as the Xenomorphs attacked. There was no hope. Ms. Weyland watched as nothing but the flash of gunfire, and the shadows of the Xenomorphs was all that crossed the screen. She looked to the other monitors to see how the other groups were faring, and it was much the same. The Xenomorphs had gotten into position, and orchestrated a rather coordinated attack. This confirmed a great concern. The only time these bugs acted this way, was when there was a queen present, and by the looks, this queen was very much in control of this fledging hive. It would need to be eradicated. Cynthia closed her eyes against the billions of dollars circling down the drain, but it had to be done. Underneath her desk, she pushed a single button, and the calm female voice boomed over the PA system.

" **Cleansing protocol initiated. This facility will self-destruct in five minutes** "

"Ms. Weyland, it's time to leave," the head of her security said, as he stepped into the large office. Her assistant was still staring at the screens, her eyes wide and shining above her hands which were clasped over her mouth.

Cynthia nodded her understanding and carefully gathered her laptop, and a few important items. All the paperwork which seemed important, were left to burn, as they held no real information. Everything was on hard drives, backed up on servers, backed up on flash drives, etc, etc. Her heels were silent on the plush beige carpet, her knee-length pencil skirt was perfectly wrinkle-free, and her hair a makeup were perfect still. It was as if she hadn't watched men, her company's men, die brutal deaths just seconds ago. It was as if she hadn't ordered an entire facility located beneath a major American city to self-destruct with people still inside; maybe even living people. She stood next to her still shocked assistant, and answered her unasked question.

"These are the sacrifices we need to make. It is either them, or all of us," Cynthia Weyland said, and then marched out. The click-clack of her heels echoing in the long hall. The assistant cast one last glance at the monitors, and immediately regretted it. One of the soldiers was looking directly into wherever the camera was, and screaming something she could not hear. He looked terrified. He _was_ terrified. She swallowed thickly, then raced out of the door and down the hall, hopefully to leave this nightmare far behind.

* * *

 **A/N: Hope you guys are enjoying this story so far. I'm trying to do some justice to the Aliens, and their way of killing. Since at least half if not more of this story takes place on Earth, there will be a fair amount of focus on my human characters. I promise on everything a yautja can kill, that I will NOT make it boring! I intend as always, to present my characters as realistically as possible, without taking the story in directions I don't need it to go in. That's harder than it sounds, and any of you who read and review who also write, know what I mean. I will introduce some new characters, but that have ties to the movies so at least you can have some connection to them, and actually give two shits about what happens to them in this story. There shall be easter eggs in chapters to come. See if you can spot them! Anyway, as usual I thank you all sincerely for reading, reviewing, favoriting, and generally putting up with me and my crazy head-canons :) Until next chapter!**

 **Oh and special shout out to jejcjs! I see you're following and I hope I don't disappoint. You do realize I reread the reviews you left me on Somewhat damaged right? I've tried to keep them in mind throughout, and I know I haven't done it perfectly by any stretch, but I think of you when I try to write scenes that may need more embellishment on the description. Still indebted to you for the advise.**

 **Now, that's not to say that I haven't taken something valuable from everyone else. You all have provided me with a strong sense of accomplishment, and I'm just honored to be writing stories that anyone would like to read. Thanks once again to all of you! Okay, I'll stop with the long ass "author's note" :)**


	4. Like a Motherless Child

Kujhade stood at the doorway to their humble abode, fully intending to block her way. There was no way in hell that he was going to let her go to a mating ritual of all things, and he certainly wasn't going to accompany her. Although, he had to admit to himself that the idea had a certain intrigue to it. He had thought of taking her in front of all and sundry at that chiva, which seemed so long ago. The thought excited him right now truth be told, but no.

He watched as she put on the black ochre makeup she had become so fond of. She had also donned a very short loin cloth, one which Lijia had told her was appropriate for such an occasion. She looked good, but the most tantalizing thing, the thing he didn't want any other male seeing no matter how disgusting they said she looked, was the battle scars all over her body. She'd been caught in a net, and the thin lines had made a beautiful crosshatch pattern of scars across her front. A long scar ran down her calf where she'd been sliced, and various other cuts along her arms, back, and legs that he was so turned on by.

Jasmine marched back and forth getting herself together. The young female was there as well, presumably to babysit the boys. She was watching Jasmine with rapt attention. In her opinion, Jasmine looked as close to a yautja female in mating season as she could get. Her dark skin was even lending to the effect.

"Hey pretty girl, open up that sack. I got some little toys for them to play with, would you get it for me?" Jasmine called to the young female, who immediately obeyed. The boys toddled behind her, ready to get the toys.

She got the two toys which were sculpted replicas of Xenomorphs, and set about hiding each in a different place in the one room domicile. Immediately intrigued, they began to 'hunt' the toys down. Their parents watched, as Mili found his first. It was behind a stand which was used to store armor. Like a kitten on a ball of yarn, he pounced on it with a growl. Having secured it, he raced to the middle of the floor and held the toy above his head, giving his best victory roar. He then sat down and began to do his best interpretation of cleaning the trophy. It consisted of him sitting on the floor, turning the Xeno face down and ripping at it with his claws. Eventually the head popped off and he got up to show the female pup his trophy. She promptly picked him up, and without any warning he leaned in close to her face. Not understanding this gesture, the young female didn't react, although there was growing amusement on Kujhade's face, and growing horror on Jasmine's.

"Mili! What are you doing with her?!" Jasmine asked, flabbergasted at what she thought was happening. Mili paid no mind. He leaned in closer placing his small mandibles on her bigger ones, and then just staying that way. In the midst of it, Yeyinde had made his way over, anxious not to let his brother have all the fun. He presented his trophy as well, and proceeded to climb up the female's leg. Mili looked down to see his brother advancing, and reacted violently to it.

"Nooo, Yindeee, no no no no no!" He screamed kicking one foot, trying to connect with his advancing brother. Yeyinde flared his mandibles, then looked unsure about the whole thing, and whether or not that had been a good idea. He turned to his mother and toddled as fast as he could, growling and crying by turns. She picked him up when he reached for her, but he kept squirming, not sure if he wanted to stay in her arms or be put down.

Suddenly a booming laugh from Kujhade grated in the air, as he watched his pups act out. Jasmine shot him a look for not helping as Yeyinde continued to thrash about in her arms.

"Stop Yinde," she said calmly. He paused to look at her, and as if in dismissal of such a weak command, he thrashed around even more and began to try in earnest to scratch and claw at her.

"Stop it I said!" Jasmine commanded again, but that only fueled the young suckling's temper tantrum. He kicked wildly and he was strong; much stronger than any human two-year-old. He managed to plant one good kick to her face, scratching her cheek with his clawed foot. He saw a bit of blood, and that seemed to make him kick it up another notch. He outright growled at her, and instead of squirming to be put down, he was reaching for her to claw her again.

"I said STOP!" Jasmine yelled directly in his face. She planted him firmly on his butt on the floor, and gave him two good swats on his little thigh. They were good swats too, harder than she'd meant to do it.

Everything stopped, except Mili who was still trying to figure out kissing the female. She was thoroughly perplexed and still not comprehending what the baby was trying to do. Kujhade's laughter stopped abruptly, and so did Yeyinde's tantrum. She was about to apologize, to both Kujhade and the baby. She looked up at Kujhade, afraid that he would be angry, but he was only watching with an unreadable expression. She turned back to Yeyinde who was looking up at her with glassy eyes. The open defiance hadn't decreased, and he still seemed to be contemplating whether he should start back in on a tantrum.

"I see that little look in your eyes, but you better cut it out Yeyinde," Jasmine said pointing a finger in his face. He considered the finger, then looked at his sire.

"Daddy can't help you, you just better stop," Jasmine said sternly. It was breaking her heart to be so mean to him, but she remembered what the Matriarch reminded her of shortly after they'd come to this planet. She'd told Jasmine that rearing yautja pups was difficult. They were willful and defiant as they got older, and they were quick to challenge the authority of their bearers.

" _You must be hard with them. Do not allow human weakness to intervene. It is in their nature to challenge, to defy. You must hit them, beat them into obedience if you must. You are human, and they will challenge you more, even though you are their bearer," the Matriarch had warned._

At the time Jasmine thought she was crazy, but she was seeing it now. Yeyinde was still thinking of a way to challenge her authority. He had not been cowed yet. The two swats were a warning maybe, but not enough to make him stand down. Jasmine hated the thought of hitting such small children, but then again these were not regular human children. A time out corner wasn't going to fly here.

"No" he said, his chin raised in further disobedience, and a mischievous gleam in his hazel eyes. Jasmine raised her hand threatening another swat, but paused. He considered her hand again, decided she was bluffing, and took a swing of his own.

"I said stop, didn't I?" Jasmine said and landed four hard swats to the same thigh. He looked at her, stunned. His large eyes blinked owlishly and then they became glassy, but even at this age he was trying not to cry about pain. His bearer had never raised a hand to either of them, and now she had. He put his little hand on his thigh where she'd swatted him, and rubbed it. He looked back up at her, and then slowly reached up to her, this time really wanting to be picked up and petted.

"You're sorry?" Jasmine asked, kneeling down to eye level with him. He nodded his large head.

"Towwy, mama," he said, his little breath hitching as he struggled not to cry. Her heart melted, but even so, she refused to pet him. That was a no-no even with human children. Never pet immediately after a punishment.

"Okay, but I'm not petting you. You have to go to bed now Yeyinde, come on," she said gathering him up to take him to the small bed pit he shared with his brother. He lay down on his stomach, and she covered him in a thin pelt. She noticed he was crying, as his little shoulders shuddered, but he was still not willing to let her see it. She wanted so badly to rock and cuddle him, but she restrained herself somehow, and settled for giving his crest one or two rubs before standing and facing the silenced room.

"Now for you little man. What are you doing over here?" Jasmine asked, marching over to Mili. His eyes were round, anticipating that he might get the same treatment to the thigh, that his brother had received. He looked at the female who was still holding him, then back to his mother.

"Kissss, momma, kissss," he said then reached for Jasmine.

"Wait, are you trying to kiss her?" She asked, amused and slightly ashamed. Her cheeks burned with embarrassment.

"Yesss, momma," he said, in his little raspy voice as she gathered him into her arms.

"You're too young to kiss Mili. You saw momma kiss daddy and you wanna do it to?" She asked, assuming he didn't understand the complex question. He surprised her when he nodded in the affirmative.

"He is too young to mate, but they already feel the need to present a trophy to a female," Kujhade finally chimed in. The pride in his deep baritone voice was unmistakable.

"You got a long way to go before you can mate anybody little man. You like her Mili?" Jasmine asked playfully as she lay him next to his brother. He seemed puzzled, then just shrugged his little shoulders.

"Aww, mommy's baby doesn't know anything about that. He just wants to play with his toys that's all," Jasmine cooed in baby talk. She kissed his broad forehead.

"You can give momma your trophy later okay? You gonna kill it tomorrow for momma?" She asked, amused that his eyes brightened at the prospect of killing something.

"Sei-i momma. Yinde and, and, and, toys, momma, toys," he said, getting excited all over again. He wasn't nearly ready for sleeping. She got up and gave them each a stuffed toy; a hold-over from the haul she'd gotten when they were small. She had gotten toys meant for older children as well, just so they would still have toys _she_ was familiar with. They were stuffed monsters, about half the size of her children. Mili clutched his close to his chest, and Yeyinde reached a small arm out for his after a moment of reluctance. She'd had to simply place it next to him before he decided to take it.

"Okay, so I gave them a bath before you got here, and I fed them. If they want something else later, I made a meat dish for them," she told their 'babysitter'. The young female nodded, and took a seat in the corner of the room. She took out her training spear, and began to sharpen its single edge like Dteinou had taught her. Jasmine turned towards Kujhade, who had resumed his stoic place by the door with his arms crossed over his chest.

"I'm ready to go, so you might as well come with me and stop pouting," she said, trying to march past him, but running into him instead.

"I said we are not going to a mating ritual. You don't know what you are asking for," he said again. He'd repeated it a million times since earlier when they left training. Jasmine crossed her own arms, and peered up into his face.

"Well you should have thought about that before you let your little ex-girlfriend get in my face," she said, still feeling something about that.

"She challenged you,"

"And I'm answering it. She can't get away with that. Lijia told me…."

"Lijia talks too much…"

"Better than not knowing shit about what's going on. She told me that if I didn't show up tonight and basically screw you in front of Big Bertha, that I was giving her permission to have sex with you. Is that true?" Jasmine challenged. She knew Lijia wouldn't lie about something like that.

Kujhade stared at her, his lower mandible twitching. He was quiet, which was a sure sign that Lijia had been right after all, and now he didn't want to say.

"So just as I thought, I _have_ to do this, or I get the feeling she's not going to leave it alone. In any case, I gotta save face here. If I let this slide, all kinds of bitches will be lined up to smack me around and then fuck your brains out. I don't like the thought of that, and you better not like the thought of it, so let's go," she said.

Kujhade gave her a once over, then slightly adjusted just enough to let her pass. She had to squeeze past, feeling the hardness of his body, and the heat radiating from him. He grunted and then led the way. They were headed away from where the marketplace and kehrite were located. Behind their small home, was a dirt and gravel pathway which led into the dense forest tree line just about a hundred yards away.

Lijia warned her that during the first night of mating season, the males were unarmed, but the females were allowed a single weapon of their choice. Jasmine had chosen to wear her wedding gift, the fancy breastplate made of bone, and a long dagger on her right hip. Kujhade, true to Lijia's word, wore no weaponry or armor. He did not even have on his mask. He wore only a short loin cloth and his metal codpiece underneath. His sandals which were made of a leather-like material rather than the metal boots he usually wore, were strapped up his calf to just below his knees, gladiator style. This time his loincloth did bear the mark of their clan marked in red, against the cream colored cloth, denoting that he was the leader of said clan.

Jasmine looked up just before they entered the tree line, and saw one of the moons hanging low in the alien sky. It was bright and full, illuminating everything in an ethereal light. Kujhade seemed to glow in that light, and when they entered the forest proper, he seemed to blend in among the dapples of moonlight here and there. All at once he seemed magical, mysterious, deadly, and sexy like some strange thing from either her nightmares or her fantasies; maybe from both places. Unexpectedly, he grabbed her hand and placed it on his lower back. She grabbed hold of the rim of his cloth, and he took position in front of her. At first, she didn't understand the position change, but soon did as the dirt path gave way to full on forest floor. The sharp rocks and twigs dug their way into the flimsy soles of her makeshift sandals, as she tried to literally follow in his footsteps lest she fall.

"How far away are the mating grounds?" Jasmine piped up, just to break the calm but somewhat eerie silence.

"Not far," Kujhade answered. She thought he would elaborate, but his demeanor seemed to change as they traveled. He seemed to be almost angry, or sullen. He certainly was less than thrilled.

"We can go back if you want," she offered, pulling on his cloth and stopping. He turned to face her.

"You wan-ted thissss," he said in his best English. She frowned a bit, and shifted her feet. She reached to grab his hand in her own. He allowed the contact but did not reciprocate.

"I just wanna be part of it. We're here on your home planet, and I just don't want to do anything to shame you, or dishonor you. I thought I had to do this to look strong, but we can go back if you don't want me to do it. I know you don't want to go," Jasmine said, trying to intertwine their fingers and finally looking up at him through her lashes.

Long moments passed. He stood tall over her, his breathing even, and his eyes steady. He never looked away from her, or made any noise, and she didn't think he even blinked. It was Jasmine who started fidgeting first. She looked down between her feet, and twiddled with the hem of her cloth. Finally, she looked up at him again.

"Say something Jhade," she pleaded. His expression was still blank. The light of the moon played across his face, as he studied hers. He raised a talon and pointed it at her chest.

"Your honor, not minnee," he spoke again in English, the last word ending in a rumble in his chest. It was rare for him to make an effort to speak her language, and she knew he didn't know much of it. It warmed her heart whenever he did so, because that was his way of engaging with her completely.

Jasmine looked down at her feet, but felt a large finger lift her chin. He tilted his head to the side, but not because he didn't understand. He was trying to ascertain if _she_ understood it. She believed she did know what he was saying to her.

"So basically, I'm doing this for my own honor. Has nothing to do with you, not really. Your honor wouldn't be damaged if I don't go?" She asked. He seemed to think about what she said. Finally, he shook his head. Not quite it.

"Ooman. Not bound to all law," he managed in English again. This was the most he'd spoken of her language since she first laid eyes on him. Now it was her turn to think about it. Her eyebrows raised once it all dawned on her, for real this time.

"Okay, I think I really get it now. This is optional since I'm not a yautja. It's forgivable to let it slide technically. I have the feeling that if I do decide not to go through with this, that I will be viewed as even weaker than they all imagined, and it would be shameful anyway. Maybe even laughable. I'd be a laughing stock, wouldn't I? A punk?" She surmised, and by the way he nodded and his eyes sparkled, she'd hit the nail on the head.

"So, the decision is final. Let's go to the mating ritual. Mar'cte's gonna be there, right?" She asked. He gave her a look that said, what do _you_ think?

"How could I think otherwise?! Lead the way my sexy life mate," she chuckled. He grunted and turned around. She grabbed the back of his cloth as they walked single file to mating grounds. She would be very unprepared for the scene which awaited her, but for now she settled for feeling the warmth of his body, and the enchanting sight of the alien forest under the light of the moon.

* * *

Marcus woke up to the ungodly sounds of his alarm clock. 6:00 am it read in bright red lettering. With a huff, he sat up, and wiped his eyes. He thought about the day before, and frowned.

The venture to the Love Outreach shelter hadn't yielded much, but it was more suspicious now than ever before. It was too clean, too orderly, and a little too clinical. The receptionist was in her early thirties. Not so young that you didn't take her seriously, and not so old that you couldn't relate to her. She smiled, she greeted him politely, and when he produced a picture of Jasmine she smiled even more, but there had been something in her eyes. It seemed to Marcus it was recognition even though she swore to have only been working there the last six months. She'd given him a plausible song and dance about how some patrons of the shelter are normally moved to a sister shelter across town, and that that was probably what happened to Jasmine. She passed him a brochure with the address, and politely sent him on his way. He went away quietly enough, but the receptionist had made an important call after he left. She had been instructed that if anyone were to come by and ask any questions about a certain list of people, that she was to make a call or lose her job. So she called, she described Marcus to the finest detail, and she hung up the phone. Marcus wasn't aware of any of that. Right now, all he was aware of was that it was yet another day of school (good thing the year was winding down), and he didn't want to go.

Sleepily, he marched to the bathroom. He tried the knob; locked. He rolled his eyes and leaned his head on the door.

"I don't got time for this," he sighed. He turned in the small hallway and faced his mother's bedroom door. It was cracked a little, and he peered inside. It was empty, and the bed had not been slept in. He turned back around and banged on the door with his fist.

"Mmnn," a moan wafted from inside the small bathroom. Marcus sighed again, and then shouldered his way in.

Angela was seated on the toilet. Her short, spaghetti strapped dress was hiked up above her waist exposing her privates. A stinking mess of vomit was on the floor next to her feet, and he could see it had splattered and dried all down her front. Had it not been for the moan, he would have thought she was dead. One arm was stretched over the small sink with a tourniquet and an empty needle dangling from a spent vein. She had bled a bit into the sink as well. Her once beautiful natural hair was matted in places, and sat in tufts in others. Her badly applied makeup was smeared as if she'd been crying, and she reeked of alcohol as well. This wasn't the first time he'd found her this way. A small part of him was glad she'd been at home in this condition and not out in the streets. A larger part of him hated her for putting him in this position.

"C'mon momma," he muttered, although he knew she couldn't respond. He doubted she even knew where she was.

He grabbed a cotton ball and placed it at the site of the needle, then carefully withdrew the syringe. While applying a bit of pressure, he released the tourniquet and tossed the needle in the trash. After a moment or two it was no longer bleeding. He stepped over the puke, and started some bath water. He then unceremoniously removed her dress by pulling it over her head. She tried to protest lightly, but then she had nodded off again.

"We gotta wash up momma," he said as he hefted her up. She was never fat, but now she was positively waifish. As carefully as he could, he placed her into the hot soapy water, and made sure she was sitting upright. He then set about the task of putting her clothes in the hamper, and cleaning the vomit, the bloody sink, and the unflushed toilet.

"Jazzy," Angela said dreamily. Marcus turned his head slowly and stared at his mother. Her eyes were closed, but tears were running down her face, and her outstretched hand seemed to be reaching for her missing daughter.

"Was looking for you Jazz….where are you…Jazzy girl?" She mumbled. Her voice hitched once like she would start sobbing. Marcus turned away, a bleachy sponge in his hand. He wrung it out, and stepped out into the hallway. He hadn't realized that he was also crying. The tears stung in his eyes, and he cursed her, and cursed himself for starting his morning like this. Last of all, he cursed Jasmine for not being there to help him through this. Sobering himself, Marcus re-entered the bathroom, and began the unpleasant task of bathing his mother.

He knelt beside the tub and grabbed a washcloth and bar of soap. He leaned her forward and began to wash her back. She was still nodding off, still high from the heroin, but he could feel her breath hitching in a silent sob. Weakly, she grabbed at his forearm, her fingers grazing the old wounds she'd made. With bloodshot eyes, she looked up at him, and the sight of her so vulnerable, so broken, made his heart twist painfully in his chest. He had to choke back a sob of his own. She was looking at him with child-like innocence, her eyes tragically aware even in her drug induced haze. Her mouth seemed to work to find the words for a moment before they came.

"Is Jasmine dead Marcus? I-is she gone forev-ev-eveerrrrr?" And the tears came bursting forth from her in a wail.

"Jaazzzzyyyyy! I-i-I'm so sorrrryyyy! Sooo soorrryyyyy!" She continued to wail and sob loudly. "He hurt you! He hurt my baby so baaaadd!" Angela cried, slowly beginning to pull her own hair and smack herself about the face and head.

"Who momma? Who hurt Jazz?" Marcus asked, confusion and burgeoning anger kindling in his mind and chest. He grabbed her arms and shook her lightly. Did she have some idea what happened to Jasmine? Something inside of him denied that vehemently. No, this was some other knowledge, some other hurt which had been visited upon his sister. His mind tried to conjure long buried half-memories, and he shook his head trying to get rid of them. He didn't want to recall, that much he knew. Whatever was trying to crawl up from the depths of his subconscious, he needed it never to see the light of day. With a groan, he did force the Pandora's box in his mind to close, and threw a lock on it for good measure.

 _You can't keep me closed forever Marcus_ , it told him, with a voice that came from everywhere inside, and nowhere at all.

 _You can't keep me closed. One day I will open, and cast everything you love into a pit of hell. You can believe that_ , it said, and then quieted.

Angela's crying died out as she passed into semi-consciousness once again, but it had already knocked the wind out of Marcus, who could now barely lift his arms. Somehow, he finished bathing her, but he never answered her question. He couldn't. For as much as he thought about it, he couldn't think about it at all. Was she dead? He liked to think that he would _know_ if she was, but that might have been wishful thinking at best. Outright foolish at worst.

He rinsed her and dried her off. He carried her to her bed, and fished through her chest of drawers for a nightgown. Finding one, he put it on her, and tucked her in as a parent would a small child. She was now fast asleep, the dried tear tracks staining her cheeks. He stood and looked over her a moment more; a mixed feeling of love, pity, and hatred roiling in his gut and making his head hurt. Marcus turned to leave and salvage what was left of his morning.

"Thank you, baby. My sweet boy," his mother's voice floated to him. He didn't answer, as he closed the door behind him, and got ready for school.

* * *

 **A/N: So, I know I left you all on a couple of interesting notes. What do you all think of Jasmine's mother? I may or may not have some things lined up for her, no promises, but she's interesting to write. As for the mating ritual scene, I swear it's in the next chapter. It's actually already written, so I just need to make sure it's right before I post.**

 **Speaking of my posting schedule, I shall try every Wednesday/Thursday. I don't know how long this story is going to be, but I'm halfway sure I've written about a quarter of it :) This helps with the schedule staying on track or else it will never get written or posted.**


	5. Paya's Moon

Jasmine was in awe of the spectacle that greeted her upon entering the large clearing in the forest. Kujhade was still leading the way. The trail they had followed had wound upwards, and had ended on a small hillock. It gave Jasmine an excellent view. Just below them a stage was set. A large square of packed dirt, was lined on the left and right sides with tall torches. On the left of the square, an old yautja crouched with age and wearing a large headdress, was going down the line and marking each seated male with what appeared to be paint or something similar. The males waited patiently until the elder was done. The elder turned around, and to Jasmine's surprise it was a female; an old crone from the way her pendulous breasts hung low. She was leaned heavily on a tall, gnarled wooden staff, as she made her way ponderously to the front of the square. Rows and rows of yautja both male and female sat in a wide semi-circle as if they were all in a theatre preparing to watch a show. Raising her long thin talons, the elder said something that Jasmine did not quite hear, but a rather large group of females got to their feet and stood a little closer to the makeshift stage. Kujhade led her a bit further down the small hillock to a fallen log where he took a seat, and motioned her to do the same. The old crone spoke to the females in a way that seemed motherly, as if she were giving them some advice. In response, the females clicked loudly in unison.

Suddenly, the males in the gathered crowd stood to their feet and began a slow rhythmic stomp, punctuated every so many beats with a pound of their fist to their chests. Jasmine stared in stunned silence as Kujhade joined in. Jasmine looked around to find that the only ones seated were females. One such female was sitting a few yards away. She happened to turn and spot Jasmine. A brief look of shock passed over her features before she openly snarled at the intruding human, and turned back around. Jasmine got up but instead of standing up, she crawled to the outskirts of the crowd to get a better look at what was happening on stage. What she saw not only shocked her, but impressed her very much. When the other males in the gathering began to stomp, one of the males near the stage stood up. He grabbed something from behind him and then ceremoniously placed it at the front of the stage area. He took a couple of steps back, and produced his spear. The marks that the elder had given him seemed to highlight scars and wounds, and now that he was in the light, Jasmine could see that the paint was a bright green. Perhaps it represented their blood? In any case, Jasmine stared at the scene. The male began to expertly twirl his spear. It wasn't quite a dance. It was more of an exaggerated fight sequence. He exhibited great skill with the weapon, and it seemed to Jasmine that he was in some way demonstrating his martial art. As he went on, the beat picked up the pace and so did the male. The beat reached a fever pitch, as the male suddenly leaped into the air and came down, spear point first, to the ground and struck a stance. The females reacted with loud clicks of approval, and the male stood up straight. He roared and pointed towards the paint which confirmed to Jasmine that it represented his wounds. He was showing them off proudly, and whatever he had killed had made lots of wounds across his abdomen and back. Once he was done, the males in the audience slowed the cadence of the beat. Three females stepped forward and touched the skull sitting at the front of the stage. The male stood proud as he moved towards the females and collected his trophy. He handed it reverently to the old crone who in turn placed it on an alter like table off to the side. The male then headed off into the darkness of the surrounding forest with the three females in tow.

The next male in line got up, and the process repeated itself again. This time he did not produce a skull, but instead was wearing the pelt of the beast he'd killed. The pelt was covered in an iridescent shimmer that wasn't fur. It seemed to be the actual skin, and the gruesome head and face of the creature sat atop the hunter's head. It was as if he'd found an old bearskin rug with the head attached, and decided to wear it like a costume. It must have been an impressive kill, because several of the young females came right to the edge of the stage before he even began to demonstrate his technique. Casting the pelt to the ground gently, the young male produced his wrist blades and showed off how he'd made his kill. As with the first, the cadence of the music reached critical mass as the young male performed the killing blow and the females went wild. Four more females joined the three already at the front, and they waited impatiently as he led them off to wherever they were going.

This scene repeated with only small variances until all the young males had put on their show. A few other yautja came to collect the trophies presumably for safekeeping somewhere else. Jasmine continued to watch as the old crone made one more announcement.

"The mating season has begun," her voice, strong but ancient boomed loud enough to shush the still cheering, hooting crowd.

"May Paya bless your coupling with strong pups to carry on our race, and our legacy!" She exclaimed, and the clamor of the crowd erupted again. She made her way off the stage into the darkness, and the crowd began to mill about among each other.

Standing now, Jasmine went back over to Kujhade who had been watching her reaction the whole time.

"Why didn't everybody do a show Jhade?" She asked in a hushed tone, not sure why she thought it proper to whisper it.

"That is for the younger males. By making exceptional kills, they have earned the right to woo females without competing with the older and more experienced males here. Otherwise, they must not only convince a female to mate, but possibly answer the challenge of an older male for her attentions. It can get complicated, and on rare occasion deadly," he said, grinning a little as she computed what she'd heard.

"So what about the other young males?" She asked.

"They have to fight for their right to mate. They either have to subdue the female, or also challenge a male for her first. Some will leave here tonight without having a chance to mate at all," he said, grabbing her around the waist as he sat back down on the log. She straddled him, and his hands took over from there. It was quite distracting.

"That doesn't seem fair. The young bucks need to be able to get their freak on too," Jasmine chuckled. Kujhade seemed not to be paying attention to anything but her breasts which were now in the palm of each of his hands. He had reached under her ornate breastplate to get to them.

"It's the essence of fair. If you are strong enough to mate, you mate. If not, you don't mate. Try again next cycle," he said, his speech slurring a little. He was really concentrating on her breasts which he was kneading harder and harder.

Jasmine was trying to focus on him, but her attention was drawn to a sudden outburst which Kujhade either didn't hear (she doubted that highly), or wasn't worried about. Just a few yards away a male and a female seemed to square off. They were both completely naked. The male seemed older, and the female seemed on the younger side, but she was fiery. Jasmine had never paid too much attention to Lijia or even Dteinou, but now she was staring at the female and making mental comparison between the yautja and herself. Like the males, from the neck down the females were built as if an artist had carved them from the finest stone. She was tall and muscular but not too much. Her breasts sat high and firm, and were huge as well. Her washboard abs led down to thick well-muscled thighs and calves. Her buttocks were perfectly round, and even her sex was visible in the bright moonlight. It looked just like a human more or less, but much larger. The young female was taller as seemed the norm, and the male although older, seemed to be trying to figure out just how to subdue her without getting hurt.

Realizing that Jasmine had never actually witnessed full blown mating between two of his own kind, Kujhade was content to let her watch. He kept his hands roaming all over her body. Jasmine watched closely as the male came forward, slightly crouched, hands up defensively. He was careful not to splay his mandibles or make any sign of real aggression. It was the female who was being extra aggressive, growling and hissing at him, but not turning away or dismissing him either. He inched forward cautiously like he was approaching a wild ferocious animal who would attack him at any time. Jasmine smiled at such an appropriate image. He rumbled a very low purr, one that Jasmine could barely hear but not due to volume. The frequency was at the edge of her human capability to hear. The young female shook her head a bit in temporary confusion, and that's when the male struck. With a grunt, he launched himself towards her, roughly grabbing her tendrils and spinning her around so that her back was to him. He took a knee and hit her on the back of her thigh in quick succession until her leg buckled. She flailed wildly but was hindered by the death grip he had on her hair. Now down on one knee, he released her hair and grabbed her by the back of her neck forcing her face down into the dirt hard. She was breathing hard. It was erratic and labored; too labored for what had just happened. He gave two or three quick grunts, and then penetrated her right there in plain view. A loud rumbling purr filled the air around them, and at first Jasmine thought it was the male, but the glazed over look on the female's face told a different story. Long trails of drool were running from her tusks to the ground, and she looked as if she were simultaneously in excruciating pain, and about to have the most mind shattering orgasm ever. The male meanwhile was pounding away furiously behind her. It was rough, fast-paced, and very straight to the point.

Jasmine thought she might have on some level been disgusted by it, but that wasn't the case. Quite the opposite, the sight made her unexpectedly horny. She turned around to see Kujhade watching the scene as well, and apparently, it had the same effect judging by the raging hard-on she felt pressing her inner thigh. Suddenly, she became a little nervous. This was happening. She was expected to have sex with him for the whole world to see, and the worst part was that she'd initiated it. What exactly did she expect out of a mating ritual? She cursed herself for also being turned on by this very fact, and so decided to focus her attention on Kujhade exclusively.

She leaned in to kiss him, while his hands went immediately to her core which he found hot and waiting. She circled her hips and licked down his neck to his collarbone. He purred as she grabbed two handfuls of his corded hair and pulled lightly. His eyes were closed and lost in the sensations and anticipation of mating, when there was suddenly a whoosh of warm air in his lap where Jasmine had been a moment before.

"What the FUCK?!" He heard Jasmine cry out angrily as he shook his head to clear the lusty cobwebs.

Jasmine found herself hauled out of Kujhade's lap, and slammed onto the ground by her hair. She was already pissed that a challenge had been issued in the first place, but snatching her away right when she was about to get some amazing mating ritual sex, was adding serious insult to injury. She made it to her feet in a huff, dagger in hand. R'ka gave her a quick once over, then dismissed her, turning her attention towards a still seated Kujhade.

"Hey bitch! Who the fuck do you think you are coming over here fucking up my shit?!" Jasmine demanded, marching up to R'ka with the intention of cutting her, but R'ka wheeled around on her and backhanded her hard across the face. Jasmine flew a couple of feet back, but managed to land on her feet in a crouch, rather than sprawled out on the ground.

"R'ka!" Jasmine heard Kujhade say, but she couldn't wait on him to retaliate. She was being humiliated in front of everyone, and only she could put a stop to it. Jasmine had jumped up ready to fight, but found that R'ka was now standing over Kujhade, who was rising slowly to his feet. The big female had waltzed over with bare breasts, and her lower cloth clutched in her talons. Her mating musk clung heavily around her, and was more pungent than any male's Jasmine had ever smelled. Inwardly, Jasmine smiled to herself. No wonder Kujhade – and Mar'cte if she was being honest – had always commented on how sweet her sexual scent was. Not to mention, that just before Jasmine made her move, she noticed that R'ka was visibly wet and was literally dripping. The bitch had come ready.

Jasmine took a quick running leap and landed on R'ka's back, grabbed two fistfuls of her tendrils, and yanked back hard. R'ka roared, spinning around and trying to throw Jasmine from her back. She reached back and managed to smack the small human in the head, but Jasmine held on anyway, screaming guttural cries and seemingly trying to pull the dreadlocks free.

Now that she was on R'ka's back with her hands buried in her locks, Jasmine wondered just what the hell she was going to do now. Mating ritual challenges weren't supposed to be deadly, but this was also a very sensitive area of any yautja's body and an attack on it warranted death in most cases. This was probably no different, and Jasmine knew that.

While she was trying to decide what to do, she found herself riding the world's angriest bull. R'ka stopped flailing, and had started charging towards the tree line. The lightbulb came to life over Jasmine's head as she realized she was going to be ooman mush as soon as R'ka reached a tree. Quickly, Jasmine leaped from her back mere seconds before impact. The tall tree shook violently under the force of R'ka's charge. The big female turned on a dime, shook her head clear, and prepared for another bull's rush. Jasmine got ready to sidestep but almost didn't make it despite seeing it coming. She cartwheeled to her left and spun around just in time to dodge an elbow to the head. Like she'd learned before, Jasmine went inside, crouched and delivered a quick succession of punches to the ribs. R'ka grunted in surprise, then planted a knee to Jasmine's stomach, which doubled her over and brought her to her knees.

She didn't have time to collect herself before she felt a large hot hand on the back of her neck. She was yanked back, her head hitting the ground, and then felt incredible pressure on her abdomen. R'ka had pressed her down, with one hand all over the small human's face, and the other pinning one of Jasmine's arms down to her side.

"I could crush you like the lou-dte kale you are! You're nothing but prey, and I have no idea why he's with you, but you're nothing!" R'ka growled out. She then pushed Jasmine's face again, and maliciously squeezed, the threat to break her jaw or more likely her orbital bone, was very clear. She tried to struggle underneath her, but she couldn't move and could barely breathe.

"Now you're going to watch a real female mate him. You will watch and you will learn what it means to be inferior. You don't know your place. You think you are better than what you are, that you are one of _us,_ but you will never be more than lowly prey, and you will understand this tonight," R'ka growled again. She moved her hand from Jasmine's face to her throat, and the look on her face was one of smug satisfaction.

Jasmine glanced at Kujhade, and the look on his face stirred a deep anger inside of her. He was sitting there watching her being subdued, watching her lose, like it was the fucking Super Bowl. Somewhere in the back of her woman's intuition she knew he wanted to screw R'ka, and that fueled her anger even more. It also awakened a dormant insecurity about not being enough 'woman' for him. They weren't monogamous as a species, and this was always in the back of her mind; now it was sitting prominently at the front. Jasmine tried to twist her lower body up in order to push R'ka off with her feet, but she then felt the sharp tip of talon against her throat. It stopped her cold. This wasn't Dteinou, and she wasn't going to be let up without being seriously injured.

A cruel realization reasserted itself inside of Jasmine's mind, completely unbidden, and her stomach turned in protest. She was no match, no matter how rigorously Dteinou had been training her, and no matter how much of their blood ran through her veins. Just then, a strong sense of possessiveness took over her mind and heart. How dare some female come out of the blue to challenge her for her own man? She is the one who had born children for him. She's the one who had to make the best of a horrible situation, and just make do. Hell, she'd done more than make do, she'd made a life. A real fucking life, and this bitch wasn't about to march in a take it away – even for a night – just because she simply felt more entitled. Jasmine had heard tales back on Earth, which has reached the level of an urban legend, about some people who had actually killed predators. It _could_ be done, that was the important thing. Maybe it wouldn't be done by her on this night with this predator, but it could be.

R'ka laughed, threw Kujhade a lustful purr over her shoulder, then turned back towards Jasmine, still not allowing her to move. She tried to stop it, but a hot tear slid down her face and into her ear anyway. This all started out as spiteful without being deadly, but a vicious jealousy welled up inside of Jasmine. It sidled up alongside the insecurity, and the possessiveness, and the sneaking feeling that when it all came down to it, R'ka might have been right. It wasn't supposed to be serious. Jasmine had taken the challenge as a test of wills and nothing more. She'd thought that if she had simply shown that she was not to be easily intimidated, that it would be enough, but that wasn't so as she lay on the forest floor. There was some reason this female was so insistent on having sex with Kujhade. She would figure it out later, because right now it was all beside the point. Right now, this might turn ugly and as foolhardy as she knew her next move would be, Jasmine could no more help herself than a lion can restrain from capturing a gazelle.

Before she could talk herself out of it, Jasmine brought her free hand up with the dagger, and sliced off a few of R'ka's tendrils. They had been draping down on her face, and were the easiest and most sensitive targets near at hand. With a surprised roar, R'ka leaped to her feet, florescent blood dripping down her shoulder from the severed hair. In truth, it also shocked Jasmine. She knew it wasn't quite hair, but she didn't think it would bleed either. She scrambled to her feet, ready to go down in a fight to the death, because you didn't draw blood from one of these guys if you wanted to draw your next breath. True to form, there was only murderous intent in R'ka's eyes as she crouched slowly and spread her arms wide. This was a real challenge to the death being offered on the table now, and Jasmine found that she was ready to meet it tonight.

Jasmine crouched into a defensive stance, drew her blade, and readied herself for the attack, mentally picking her places where she could stick and move and hopefully live through the night. Just as she saw the big female's muscles bunch as if to leap her way, a booming purr cut through the other sounds of mating or fighting, and Kujhade stepped right into R'ka's face.

"This is enough, R'ka!" He said, and then resumed his powerful purr. The male who was mating earlier was now done, but had hung around to watch the encounter. He joined in with the purr, and it seemed to work after some time.

Jasmine watched in dumb and slightly annoyed awe, as both Kujhade and this other male positively fawned over R'ka. They were calming and soothing her, absently rubbing her tendrils of all things, and bringing their foreheads closer and closer to hers by turns. It was sickening. Here she was the aggressor, and now somehow she was the one needing to be consoled. Jasmine bent down to pick up a fallen leaf, and cleaned her dagger blade with it. She replaced it with a huff, watching just to see how long Kujhade was going to coddle little miss bitch over there.

"Kujhade!" Jasmine called sharply, but he failed to respond. R'ka was still trying to stare daggers her way, but the combined purring of both males had weakened her resolve almost completely. She was now seated on the ground with the other male.

"Kujhade!" Jasmine called again, and this time she was answered with an irritated and very impatient grunt.

That stung. It stung more than anything, and even though she knew that logically it was better for her own well-being that R'ka had been so sweetly subdued, it still bothered her that Kujhade had turned his full attention towards her.

"Stop coddling that ugly ass, stank ass bitch!" Jasmine shouted out, counteracting their purring.

Full blown mating ritual madness.

"Ki'cte, Jasmine!" Kujhade roared her way. If she had been a Saturday morning cartoon, steam would have been visibly pouring from her ears. Was he really shouting at her about this? Yes, yes he was and judging by the angry look on his face, he was dead serious. Unfortunately, mating ritual madness had gained a strong hold over Jasmine, and she was just getting revved up.

"M'di!" She shouted back in their language, and hadn't done too bad of a botch job on the pronunciation.

"She started it! She's a big girl. If she can march over here and start some shit with me, then she can go right ahead and finish it up! Let her go!" Jasmine said, screaming now and drawing attention from all those not currently in the throes of an orgasm.

Now it was Jasmine's turn to pace back and forth, eyes wild, heart hammering, adrenaline pumping, and oddly enough highly sexually aroused. Mating season indeed. Kujhade simply stared at her, aghast at what he was hearing. For one, she'd said 'no' in his language and it didn't sound too bad. Two, she was acting extremely aggressive but this was not conducive to her continued existence. Even though mating challenges were not meant to be deadly, they were always a hair's breadth of becoming so. This situation had exploded, and if he didn't get a handle on his mate, he would likely be raising two pups on his own. To his chagrin, R'ka had risen to her feet once again, the dull pain of her severed tendrils forgotten. Her reputation demanded her to complete the challenge she had so rudely issued in the first place. The fact that Jasmine, a human, had not immediately backed down did nothing to bolster R'ka's position of superiority.

R'ka tried to push past Kujhade, but he'd seen the look in her eyes, and he didn't budge. She gave him a dangerous glare.

"You had better move Kujhade, I'm warning you," she said. Her tone was low and deceptively calm, but he was not fooled.

"That's interesting that you are warning me. Need I remind you, that I am the arbitrator for males and females alike, and I have deemed it enough," he replied, and that seemed to deflate her a little. He'd pulled rank, and now any move of defiance she made jeopardized her status as honored, to bad blood. It could happen in an instant, and at that point Jasmine came to understand the extent of her husband's rank. He was like an alien Judge Dredd. His decree was essentially law, with very little to challenge it. Even the male standing by had dipped his head in recognition of Kujhade's rank.

"And for you, Jasmine. I am your mate and your arbitrator as well. Enough," he said, and his tone was a little less hard this time around.

Jasmine stopped pacing and looked at her husband. Perhaps it was enough. Her good sense came inching back, and now she could feel all eyes on her. She noticed Dteinou making her way up the incline, and her mouth dropped at the sight. She had never, ever, not one time, seen Dteinou not in full war gear. She had on not a single piece of armor, and without it Jasmine could see her true level of beauty. The face was what it was, but even so, it was slimmer than Jasmine realized, and she also had very prettily colored brindling down both sides of her long, lean body. Dteinou wore nothing but an expensive looking lower cloth, and a breast covering made of thin bones which had been sewn together. Even her tendrils had extra trinkets in them, and they spilled down her back and over her shoulders. She came to stand next to Kujhade, surveyed the situation quickly, then turned to R'ka. The random male took a single step back and went to one knee. Dteinou waved him up absently.

"Are you done making trouble, or do I need to bring this to the attention of the high council?" She asked.

"M'di," R'ka answered curtly.

"No, great Dteinou. I have it under control, just a mating challenge, nothing more," Kujhade answered. He reached down on the ground and recovered the three severed tendrils which belonged to R'ka, and showed them to Dteinou.

The enforcer turned and gave Jasmine a quick look of approval over her shoulder, and turned back to R'ka.

"Don't let me come to know you are causing more trouble than needed, or I might have her to relieve you of a few more of these," she said, pointing at the hair in Kujhade's hand. She then grabbed them from his hand, and tossed them to Jasmine who caught them and tucked them into the top of her lower cloth.

"Come, T'chnde. I'm not done with you yet," Dteinou said, and sure enough T'chnde seemed to materialize next to Jasmine. He gave her a nod of greeting, and quickly cast his eyes on his mate. Jasmine didn't miss the look on his face. It was the same look Kujhade sometimes gave when he was impressed and horny. She understood it as a love gaze, which was exactly what it was. He followed Dteinou back down the incline, and they both disappeared back into the night. R'ka stared daggers at Jasmine again. She snarled at her, locking eyes with the human as she backed away. Something in the way she was doing this, told Jasmine that while the big yautja admittedly lost the challenge, that this wasn't over. Finally, she turned around and went her own way. The random male seemed to be trying to figure just what the hell he'd been looking at, and been semi apart of. He lost interest quickly, as a young female came into view and trilled to get his attention. He left without a second glance.

As the attention once again turned to mating for all rubberneckers, Kujhade sauntered his way over to Jasmine. She gave him a hard look and stepped back. He tilted his head in confusion.

"Oh, now you don't know what's happening? Isn't that convenient as hell?" She asked. Now the insecurity came back up. Along with it, the niggling suspicion that he was looking forward to mating two females tonight, not just one.

"I know that I have a mate who answered a challenge and won. I know I am looking at Paya's moon, at a mating ritual, and I know I am not leaving until I get what I came for," he growled out, stalking towards her now.

"Well, I'm out of the mood now anyway so," she tried, but he was having none of it. Before she could take a step back, he was on her. His hot hand touched the pulse at her throat, slid over her breast and heart, and then sank to her privates, cupping it.

"No, you are not out of the mood," he said. His quick assessment had been sexual, but it also was a test of the veracity of her statement. She'd been found to be telling a boldfaced lie. She swatted his chest, and gave him her most defiant look, which only came out as a wanting, pleading look that had 'take me now' written all over it.

"Did you want me to lose, so you could have sex with big ugly?" She asked, as he massaged her sex.

"I wanted you to stand your ground and preserve your honor, and you did," he said. She barely noticed that he'd deftly sidestepped the very loaded question, and picked her up. He sat down and resumed the position they had before being rudely interrupted, of her straddling him. His mating musk was heavy, and as it was on so many occasions, her thinking was muddled by it.

She tried to talk, but his hands were too distracting. She couldn't help but lean down and lick his collarbone again, and work her hands into his tendrils. He lay back now, and took her bone plated chest covering off completely, exposing her breasts to the warm night air. A slight chill went down her spine, as the night breeze ghosted against her skin. Jasmine forgot that they were outside and had an audience. It was only Kujhade, the earlier scrabble and anger truly forgotten. He was exquisite in the moonlight. His pale skin was nearly translucent, but it was beautiful. She was enchanted by him all over again, like the first time they had made love.

He slipped inside of her with a slight grunt from him, and the softest sigh from her parted lips. He filled her completely as he always did, but this time it was different. Every nerve was on fire, and her senses seemed heightened somehow. He took his claws and traced the delicate crosshatching of scars all over her front. The tip of each of his talons left a pleasant burning tingly trail behind them. He turned her on her back without ever withdrawing from her, and set a slow, grinding pace. With each stroke, his incredible need drew her closer and closer to the precipice of untold pleasure. As she stared into his burning green eyes, another revelation occurred to her. She had seen the way they had sex with each other. She'd seen the savagery involved, as they moved from one partner to another. They enjoyed themselves, and took pleasure in it, but the act and the choice of mate, even the process of having to spar to prove their worthiness to sire children, was aimed at the result of the offspring. For the first time, she really absorbed a truth that she had taken completely for granted. Kujhade had attempted to screw her using that same method simply because that was what he knew. However, he had done something crucial, and until tonight, Jasmine had not understood the true depth of what he had done. In the interest of making her comfortable, of making things easier for her, Kujhade had nearly completely suppressed his instinctual drive to violently overcome her in order to mate. In fact, from that moment going forward he had given himself over to her way of having sex completely. He had decided that she was more important than hundreds of years of ritual and intrinsic behavior. He had done all of it, for her.

This time, a tear fell, but not for fear or anger. It fell due to a surge of love so powerful, that it gathered from her toes and formed a warm pit in her stomach. It stayed there, then made its way to her heart and caused it to ache sweetly. It kindled itself like a wildfire of kinetic energy, so that she needed to give voice to it, or die crushed under its weight. She wrapped her legs around him, and let out a cry, mingled with a primordial scream so loud and long that her throat was sore when it was over. Kujhade had responded with a roar of his own, then bit down into her shoulder, sinking all four tusks as he had the first time. Her body shook in the aftershocks, as she looked into his face once more.

 _He's done so much changing, so much giving for you Jasmine. What will you give him in return?_

The thought was so unexpected and profound, that she gasped as if startled. He removed his tusks, and began to lick the blood from the wound. This time she did not feel the pain, but her body shook again anyway. He took that as an invitation to begin again, and he was happy to oblige.

 _You haven't sacrificed enough, so what will you give to make him happy?_

She closed her eyes against the thought. Yes, she would need to do more. She would need to make some sacrifices to prove the depths of her love for him. She had an idea of what it could be, but it was too much to think of now. For now, she would think and feel and breathe only Kujhade.

The gathering crowd turned their attention towards the strange couple. Many had never seen a human mate, let alone mate one of their own. They had also never witnessed a male not have to fight a female to have sex with her, nor this sexual position. Jasmine's sex scent filled the air, and many of the males scoffed outwardly at it, but there were a select few who did not. The females seemed disgusted, but one seemed angrier than the others. R'ka had watched, against her will but the curiosity had proved too strong to ignore. As she watched the small human move in perfect sync with Kujhade's every stroke, she felt the unfamiliar pang of jealousy twist in her gut. With great force of will she turned and walked away. The scent of Jasmine and Kujhade's sex haunted her for the rest of the night.

* * *

 **A/N: Please tell me that I did at least a little justice to the mating ritual? I know that there was no hardcore lemon here. I never intended to write one, at least not at this time. I really wanted to focus on the ritual itself, the behaviors of everyone, and the challenge. I really wanted to the sex scene to be more about love-making, and less about X-rated smut. As odd as it may sound, I didn't think that belonged here. I wanted to showcase Jasmine's increased fighting skill, and also her feelings and how she is interpreting the things around her. So, I hope I didn't overly disappoint any of you. Let me know what you think, even if you want to track me down and kill me :P**

 **P.S please forgive any screw ups here. I rewrote the hell out of it at the last moment before posting, so please be kind. I know there will be something I missed, just hoping it won't be too bad.**


	6. From Bouvetoya, With Love

The large and beautifully appointed office of the Weyland-Yutani board of council, was located on one of several privately-owned floors within the Chrysler building in downtown Manhattan. Cynthia Weyland sat with her back straightened, and her manicured hands folded neatly on the varnished oak conference table in front of her. The other seven members of the board sat with severe looks on their faces following her report. Mr. Van Hauser looked to be physically ill. He took large shaky fingers and fished inside the pocket of his Armani suit jacket, and came out with an engraved pill box. Fingers swollen with arthritis, searched for small white pills, and he popped two of them into his mouth. He chased it with the scotch he had been nursing all morning.

"Are you certain that all subjects have been terminated, and that there remains no threat?" Mr. Eisenberg asked for the tenth time. His snow-white eyebrows knitted, and his eyes narrowed on Cynthia. She blinked and finally stopped looking past him, and looked directly at him instead.

"I assure you, that no trace of extra-terrestrial life forms remain. Our financial fail-safes have already been activated, so the loss to the company should be relatively minimal," she stated.

"Relatively minimal?!" Cynthia managed not to cringe at the reedy, high-pitched voice of Mrs. Albrecht. She was an old woman, who sat tall in her seat, and peered at everyone over the tops of her expensive bifocals. Her lips were perpetually pursed as if someone force fed her persimmons all day and night.

"Need I remind you that we have lost more than $7.3 billion dollars, and that was for the facility alone. We won't even discuss how your incompetent leadership cost us our most valuable asset. They should never have been destroyed!" She said, before taking a shaky breath and regaining her composure.

"You've been on our radar for a long time Cynthia. We've been patient with you because of who your grandfather was, but that last name won't protect you forever," Mr. Eisenberg continued. Cynthia raised a questioning brow.

"On your radar? I have been doing what's best for this company while you all sit and drink scotch at 9 am, and criticize me. In the last four quarters our profits have increased by more than five percent per quarter. Not to mention we have nearly eradicated all the bad press we've had to deal with for the last decade. All this, no thanks to any of you. This was the only real problem that we've had since I took control. I can handle this," she said, keeping a calm face but inside she was boiling. Sure this was bad, but it could have been so much worse.

"You speak about bad press, but what happened back on that godforsaken island is what led to the leak about those goddamn predators! How dare you minimize that before the board?!" Mr. Van Hauser accused, in his shaky old man voice. "That..whatsherface…Alexa Woods won't shut up no matter what,"

"She's of no concern to us." Cynthia interjected.

"Only because with all your big fancy-shmancy satellites and gadgets, you can't seem to find one single woman. A woman, who went to the press on more than one occasion to blow the whistle on not only a different species of alien, but our involvement in the matter. So don't you dare sit there, in your expensive suit, and your smug little look, and feign innocence on why we question your leadership here today Miss Weyland!" Van Hauser concluded. In the middle of his rant, he'd raised in his seat a little. He now sat back, his energy spent as he raised the scotch glass to his lips and finished it off.

Cynthia maintained a calm exterior, and simply sat with her back straight, and her hands still folded in front of her on the table, and waited.

"I don't know," Mr. Eisenberg said, sitting back and running a hand over his face. "It has to go up for a vote. All in favor of allowing Ms. Cynthia Weyland to retain her position as the chairman of the board, say aye," he asked.

The votes were cast quickly around the room, and narrowly in her favor. She breathed an inward sigh of relief, as she rose from her high-backed leather chair. She shook hands around the room, expressed her deepest thanks and gratitude, made promises for a better future, and left the building in a hurry. After making her way into the underground parking garage, and sitting in her Mercedes-Benz she really did breathe a sigh of relief. The images of the horrible deaths of the soldiers she'd watched played behind her briefly closed lids. She opened her eyes and shuddered. It was a good thing the Xenomorphs had been killed. She grabbed her smart phone and speed dialed a number. It rang a couple of times before someone picked up. Before any greetings could be traded, Cynthia was issuing orders.

"Bishop, I need Bouvetoya," she said simply. There was a brief pause, pregnant with questions unasked and unanswered.

"Is the New York Colony destroyed?" Bishop asked.

"Utterly. Gather together a team of specialists, and as usual keep this very hush-hush. Everything is on a need-to-know basis, including you so don't start with the questions," she said.

"Fine. I do have one question. Should we proceed with a gestation cycle?" Bishop asked, the hesitancy in his voice was evident.

"Why else would I want you to thaw her? Just enough to harvest a few eggs for test subjects. Of course we'll need hosts, so comb the streets for any of the homeless. The goddamn mayor ought to be handing me the keys to the city for cleaning up the city's undesirables," Cynthia ordered. She ended the call before he could ask another question. She pulled out of the parking garage and headed for her office in Jersey.

* * *

Sandy Talbot was not a happy camper this morning. He had just finished his second cup of coffee, but that didn't lighten his mood any. His crew was behind schedule for fixing the power lines in the subway, and his boss was crawling up his ass about it. You would've thought putting in the last fifteen years at Argon Power and Electric (which was a subsidiary of the Weyland-Yutani corporation wouldn't you know), would give him a little fucking seniority, but apparently, Carl Spellman knew fuck all about seniority. They weren't working too far from the Lexington avenue and 63rd St station. He had come early just to assess the damage and determine just how much man power he would need to get this show on the road. He entered the station via the service entrance, a block or two down from the worksite. By the time he'd hustled his way down the steps and across two service walkways, Sandy was beet red and puffing for air.

"Gotta leave those goddamn cancer sticks alone," he muttered to himself. It was as if the two hundred and seventy-five pounds he was lugging around hadn't contributed to his bad health at all. Once he got to the worksite, he went over to the phone and called his crew in. It was an old pay phone type which only dialed dispatch and the emergency line. He wiped his sweaty brow, then wiped the hand down the front of his reflective work vest.

"Crew five at the work site. All clear dispatch?" He asked into the phone which was toy-like in his meaty hand.

"All clear crew five. Traffic resumes at 1600 hours," a woman's voice answered back, then disconnected the call.

"Fuck!" He said as he looked at the time on his watch. It was already 12:30 pm. He rolled his eyes, and took a quick look around.

"Guess I betta get started then, shit," he muttered to himself. He turned on his big halogen flashlight which he retrieved from the toolbox drilled into the wall of the subway tunnel. They always kept their tools on-site, and Sandy was glad of it. Everything was right where it should be, and he didn't have to hunt down grown men to give back tools that never should have left company possession.

He made his way over to the tracks in question, tracks which his crew had cleared just the day before. He was prepared to get working on the power, but muttered another curse under his breath as he passed the light over the work area.

"What the fuck is this shit?! Jesus H Christ yous gotta be fuckin' kiddin' me!" He exclaimed. They had spent at least an hour or more with shovels and contractor bags yesterday, cleaning up some goopy shit none of them could identify. It smelled like a bad case of athlete's foot mixed with mildew, and none of them were happy about it. Now, Sandy Talbot was staring at the same goop stuck to the tracks, and to top it all off it was crawling up the walls too. He sighed heavily and dared to raise the beam to the ceiling and all around, astonished that whatever this stuff was, it was all over the fucking place.

"How the hell did this shit get all the way up there?!" He said, becoming angrier as the light revealed seemingly no end. It stretched down a little used service tunnel, and it was more of it down there. The overhead lights which were strung down the center of the tunnel ceiling, was covered with it and they hadn't been that way yesterday. Yesterday, Sandy would have said they would be done with this project over the next 24 hours, but that was shot to shit now. Footsteps approached and Sandy whirled the halogen around, seeing Pete and trying not to be too relieved about it.

"Whoa, it's just me Sandy," Pete said, with his hands up in surrender. He strolled over to the toolbox and retrieved his own flashlight along with the rest of the tools.

"You're here early, what gives?" Pete asked jovially. When he looked at Sandy, his trademark smile wavered a little. Sandy's face was ashen.

"You might wanna get ya shovel out, maybe a fucking hazmat suit while yous is at it. Look," Sandy said, pointing out all the crap they now had to clean all over again.

"What in the fuck is this shit Sands?" Pete asked, flabbergasted. He put one hand on his slim hip and looked around, then wrinkled his nose.

"It stinks like hell," he said matter-of-factly. "You call the guys yet?" He asked.

"Yeah, before I came down," Sandy answered.

"Yeah, well they gonna just fucking fall head over heels when they lay their eyes on this shit. Sands, whatcha doin'?" Pete asked. He noticed Sandy was walking away from him down the darkest tunnel. Something about the dreamy way Sandy was moving, made the hairs on the back of Pete's neck stand on end. Sandy Talbot was not the sort of man who did anything in a dreamy way. Furthermore, Pete was absolutely sure the corridor Sandy was walking down hadn't been that damn dark just the day before. He turned to go after Sandy, feeling the sudden need to warn him, but was stopped by the sound of people approaching. The guys had been on their way when Sandy called them in, so it didn't take long for the whole crew to show up. They talked among each other as they descended the stairs and gathered their equipment. None of them noticed the muck, and none of them noticed that Sandy had disappeared. Pete watched them for a moment. He turned his light towards Sandy and saw him inspecting the wall. He took a few minutes to explain the situation to the rest of the guys, Coop, Stan, Jesse, and Yuri Ivanovich whom everyone called Lord Vader. They called him that because Yuri was a big Russian sonofabitch, who really sold his Darth Vader Halloween costume a couple years back and the name just stuck.

"We cleaned this day before, no?" Vader asked in his thick Russian accent.

"You bet your shit we cleaned it, now it's back. What gives Pete? And where the hell is Sandy's fat ass?" Coop asked, as he cast his own light around.

"Hey, Sandy!" Pete called after his boss, but Sandy was nowhere to be found. When Pete looked down the corridor where Sandy had just been, he saw only darkness.

"What the hell? Sandy!" He screamed, startling all the rest of the guys who had been pissing and moaning about cleaning up whatever it was that was coating that whole section of subway.

"Sandy!" Pete yelled down the dark tunnel, but there was no response.

"What's goin' on Pete? Was Sandy here?" Coop asked, sidling up to Pete. His normally calm face, was screwed up in growing concern.

"Yeah, he was just here! Right fucking here! Sandy!" He yelled and struck out in a trot down the tunnel, fumbling for his walkie-talkie as he went. The guys looked curiously at one another, not comprehending how a shit show could get started this early in the day.

"Vader, call this in. Stan, Jesse, go ahead and get started on cleaning this fucking mess. I'll go after Pete and Sandy," Coop said. None of the men fought with him about it, mainly because no one wanted to go where they'd just seen Pete run.

Up ahead, the tunnel curved off to the right, and Pete saw a small flicker of light go that way just before he started trotting down. The substance which was slimy and snot-like near the tracks, became more solid as he went on. It seemed hardened, and it was thicker as he went. It covered the floor, walls, and ceiling completely, and the stench was even more foul as he kept going. He had to take the sleeve of his work shirt, and cover his nose and mouth with it to keep from unnecessarily breathing it in.

"Pete, wait up!" he heard someone call after him. It was Coop. Pete stopped and turned around. Coop's flashlight beam bobbed up and down as he jogged.

"Coop, go back and call this in! I've got it!" Pete called back. This was dangerous, and Pete didn't want to be responsible for somebody getting hurt if he could help it.

"Bullshit, where's Sands? He couldn't be _that_ far right?" Coop asked as he caught up to Pete. Pete shook his head and pointed his light the way he thought Sandy had gone. He was about to say something, when they heard a muffled scream come from around the curve. They looked at each other wide-eyed.

"Pete, I think we better head back and wait until emergency gets here," Coop said. Pete considered it for a moment, then shook his head again.

"Nah, if Sandy's down there we gotta get him. He's a fat douchebag, but he'd do the same for any of us, and you know it Coop," Pete said, and he could see Coop give up arguing. Pete was right. He usually was. Coop nodded.

"Remember when that kid Tobias got stuck on the tracks?" Pete started. He could see Coop recalling it.

"Yeah, it was Sands who saved him. We gotta save him Pete," Coop said plainly.

"I'm with you now, but what the fuck are we saving him from?" Coop asked, the first tinges of fear and uncertainty entering his voice. Pete shrugged his shoulders. He was about to turn around until something seemed to move behind Coop. It was hard to see, but something was uncurling itself from the ceiling like a snake. At first, that's what Pete thought he was seeing. People were always getting strange animals, then when they get too big they dump them, and they end up in the sewers and subway tunnels. It wasn't very often than any wildlife was found down here, unless rats are wildlife which in that case made the subway a regular fucking safari. It was like no snake Pete had ever seen, and the look on his face must've alerted Coop, because he turned... then he screamed.

The rest of the crew turned their attentions to the scream, then looked at each other briefly before running to the tunnel entrance. Pete and Coop were being dragged away, literally kicking and screaming by things which none of the other crew members could make out. All they saw was the darkness of the tunnel and the darkness moving within it. The walls themselves seemed to breathe as a unit, then inexplicably, to move towards them with blinding speed. Jesse was the first to drop the pickaxe he had in his hands and run. Slowly, as if in a horrific nightmare, Stan did the same, running past Yuri who held his pickaxe defensively. He could see Coop and Pete struggling not to be taken away, as they were going around the corner.

"Vader! We gotta go!" Stan called behind him. At the sound of his name, Yuri was snapped out of whatever trance he was in, and turned towards the entrance himself, but it was too late.

Sharp talons embedded themselves in his shoulders, and yanked him backwards so hard, he nearly lost his tool. Instead of hitting the floor as he expected, he was hauled upwards as well as back. Yuri panicked, and in his panic, he began to fight. Something sharp, bony, and long wrapped itself around his middle, and Yuri swung his pickaxe back violently. He connected on the first swing, and paid a heavy price for the small victory. The thing that had him, screeched loudly in his ear, causing his head to ring with the sound, and making him temporarily deaf. The grip on his shoulder tightened, but the tail (and in added horror he aww it indeed was a tail that had him) loosened. Yuri pulled the tool back, then took another blind swing backwards and connected a second time. Startled, the monster let go. Yuri landed on his butt, the handle of the pickaxe still in his hand. He scrambled his large 6'4" frame to his feet in a crouching position. The pain in his shoulders roared at him, but he wanted to kill whatever this thing was. When he turned to see it, his breath caught in his throat. It was black, impossibly so, but it was turning and screeching, hissing and drooling in obvious pain. Something green oozed out of its elongated head, and then it stopped and looked straight at Yuri.

 _It doesn't have any fucking eyes!_

That thought ran circles round and round in his mind, threatening to drive him crazy. He dropped to one knee in bewilderment, and then all at once it charged him. It knocked the wind from his lungs, and pinned him down. The thing's claws dug back into the fresh wounds on his shoulders, and created new ones on his thighs as its rear claws sunk into the flesh. Yuri tried with all his might to move, but it was heavy. At 237lbs of mostly muscle and very little fat, Yuri was not an easy man to pin, but this thing, with its bony body and spindly arms, was much stronger than it appeared.

At such close range, he was afforded the horrific opportunity to take a very good look at the creature intent upon his murder. A wide mouth full of silvery fangs, which looked vaguely human, opened. The upper lip quivered and Yuri's face was drenched in drool. It hissed angrily in his face, but did not detect the movement of the man underneath it. Grasping the handle of the pickaxe, he slowly lifted it to strike a blow. Just as he did so, a second mouth emerged, and Yuri's bladder let go. It was now or never. He brought up the tool-turned-weapon, and smashed it into the thing's head again. It screeched yet again, but Yuri did not hear. Its green blood was a powerful acid, and it covered Yuri's face, burning through to the bone in seconds. He screamed, and it got into his mouth, and burned through his throat. The alien above him collapsed onto him, and its blood burned through Yuri's chest, first seizing his heart, then disintegrated it.

Stan and Jesse saw none of this. They were captured at the stairwell as they tried to make their escape. Screaming, they were hauled back to the nest, and made host to the ever-growing hive of Xenomorphs taking root under the Big Apple.

* * *

Det. Danny Jimenez waltzed into the 3rd Ave MMA gym, knowing he would find Marcus there. Sure enough, the young man was working over a heavy bag, and doing more than a decent job. He was a natural, and as Danny watched, he envisioned the type of career Marcus could have. Some of the greatest fighters, boxing and mma alike, graduated from the school of hard knocks, and Marcus would have been no different. Jimenez had gone to Marcus' school to give him a lift, but he wasn't there. He'd skipped school again, and Danny was set to give him a lecture until he had a better idea. His childhood friend had just completed two tours in Afghanistan, and had recently returned home. He was in the middle of trying out for the police force, but was otherwise unemployed. In a stroke of genius, Danny thought it would be a good idea to have the two meet, and considering both guys, the gym was the best place to do it.

Danny had swung by to pick up his friend whom he hadn't really seen since he Facetimed him about a year before he returned home. The two men weaved past practicing fighters to greet Marcus.

"Missed you at school," Danny offered in a non-accusatory tone.

"Yeah, I ain't go today," Marcus said, never looking up from murdering the heavy bag.

"Excuse me?" Danny asked. Marcus paused and wiped the sweat from his eyes.

"I didn't attend school today. Is that better?" He said sarcastically. Danny grinned and shook his head. The tall, young black man standing next to him, simply had his arms crossed over his chest and said nothing at all.

"Such a smart ass. I got somebody for you to meet. C'mon, have some manners," Danny invited. At that, Marcus wiped his hands on his jogging pants, and reached for a handshake. He got a firm grip in return.

"Marcus, this is my friend Michael Harrigan Jr. Everybody calls him Mike, and nobody calls him junior if they don't want their asses kicked. Mike, this is the young man I was talking about on the way over here," Danny said, stepping back to allow the two men to greet each other.

"'Sup, son?" Marcus asked in typical New York slang. The super serious expression on Mike's face was broken by a very bright smile. Marcus noted how extremely white and straight Mike's teeth were, and was thoroughly impressed.

"I'm alright. Danny told me a lot about you. all good things sir, I assure you," Mike said, as he gave Marcus a firm but warm handshake.

"Military?" Marcus asked, and that seemed to officially break the ice.

"Army, 5th battalion Company A. How did you guess?" Mike said, and they could hear the pride in his voice.

"You stand up too straight, and you called me 'sir'," Marcus chuckled, and gave the heavy bag a half-hearted punch.

"C'mon now, you were serving it better than that before, show me whatcha got!" Danny egged on, and Marcus obliged. He took a pretty good stance, and began throwing solid punches to the bag. The two men watched a bit before Mike put a hand on the bag, stopping the young man.

"You're pretty good, but you might want to get lower and throw the punches starting from your base and hips. That's where the power comes from, look I'll show you," Mike offered, and took a stance of his own.

"Mike actually won a Golden Glove a couple of years back," Danny said, taking a step back and watching him.

Mike hit the bag lightly, but was stopping to make sure that Marcus was watching the form, which he was doing intently. After a few minutes, Marcus mimicked what he saw, and felt immediate improvement in the power of his punches. He stopped and smiled broadly at the new guy, and then at Danny.

"Thanks man. 'Preciate it," he said, and took a few more hits at the bag with his new technique.

"Hey Marcus, hold on for a second I got something to talk to you about real quick," Danny said, putting his arm around the young man's shoulders.

"Yeah, wassup?" He asked the detective, as they stepped to the side away from Mike.

"I'm not gonna beat around the bush here Marcus. A little birdie told me you paid a visit to the Love Outreach shelter the other day. Is that true?" Danny asked.

"So you been fucking spying on me and shit? What the hell man?!" Marcus exploded. Danny raised his brows, but otherwise seemed unaffected. He folded his arms as he watched a myriad of emotions play over the young man's face. Marcus began to pace a little as his anger seemed to build.

"You can calm down now," Danny said calmly, but Marcus was still pacing back and forth with his hands clenching into fists.

"No! Stop fuckin following me! You got no right to do that, detective!" he spat.

"Hey, hey, hey, calm down mi hermano. I'm not just following you around, I'm trying to look out for you man. You need to stay away from that place Marcus, your sister is—" he started.

"My sister is what?" Marcus growled out, as he stepped all the way into Det. Jimenez's face. Mike bristled and walked forward, but Danny held out his hand.

"It's okay carnal, he's just a little mad right now," Danny said, looking at Marcus, but directing his words at Mike. His friend stood back, but he didn't stand down.

"Nobody, NOBODY, gives two shits about what the hell happened to my sister! Nobody looked for her because she was on drugs, and she was a prostitute. Even our own shitty ass mama don't give a FUCK about her! I'm the only one," he was saying, as his eyes became wild and glassy, and his voice began to crack with emotion.

"I'm the ONLY one who gives a fuck about her, who cares what happened to her, who's interested in finding her! The police don't care! You just hang around me cause you feel sorry for me, but I ain't no fuckin charity case!" Marcus screamed. The patrons in the gym all stopped to see what the commotion was. One large burly man, with sandy brown hair stepped up to both men.

"Hey, I'm not having this kind of shit in here. You two gonna either have to get in the octagon, or take it outside before I put you outside," he threatened.

"You young damn punks come in here startin all this shit— "

"Hey! He's not a young punk Damen, cool out with that shit," Danny warned the gym owner.

"Yeah, well, just move it out of here," Damen stammered as he stepped back to let the men leave.

Marcus gathered his belongings, then all three of them stepped outside and a little way down the block towards Danny's car, and stopped. Mike still stood aloof to let them talk about whatever had the young man so upset.

"Alright, first I'm gonna need you to simmer down. Second, yes, I do put a tail on you sometimes but I'm just watching out for you. You don't understand Marcus, that place is not a good place," Danny said, to a still upset Marcus.

"No shit detective. You learn that at the station? My. Sister. Went. Missing. From. There. Is that dangerous enough?" Marcus huffed.

"Your sister ain't missing anymore, she's dead Marcus, and that's that! You need to let her go and move on," Danny said, then immediately regretted as he saw the unbridled hurt pass momentarily across Marcus' face, before being replaced by a look of pure hatred and worse, betrayal.

Marcus's eyes flashed with anger, his nostrils flared, and his jaw worked. His hands clinched into fists again, and his muscles were bunched. He was a stick of dynamite with a fuse just begging to be lit. Finally, he managed words.

"Don't you ever talk to me, call me, come by my house, or fucking spy on me again. You just stay the fuck away from me. From now on I'm not your muthafuckin' charity case, bitch" Marcus said, his words dripping with the venom he felt. Danny wanted to offer up an apology, but the look on the young man's face said that might be the match to light the fuse. Instead, he let Marcus walk away. Later, in the wee hours of the morning, he would regret that decision.

Mike sidled up to Danny as they both watched Marcus storm down the block and turn the corner.

"His sister is dead and he thinks she's missing?" Mike asked. Danny shrugged.

"It's a long story," he sighed as they both turned back towards the detective's car. They got in and Mike buckled his seat belt, then looked over at his friend with a stern look.

"Does it have anything to do with the spate of missing homeless people and drug addicts that took place about two years ago? Is that the long story?" Mike asked a flabbergasted detective Jimenez.

"How the hell did you know about that? They barely reported it, and you weren't even here two years ago," Danny asked, intrigued and thoroughly confused.

"Just drive. I think we both have some long stories to tell," Mike said. He gave a slight smile then faced forward, waiting on Danny to drive.

"Where to my most mysterious amigo?" Danny asked, not sure if he wanted an answer.

"Let's start with our good friends and the Love Outreach. We'll see what we can see, know what we can know, and let the chips fall where they may," Mike answered. Danny looked at him a moment more, still bewildered, before he slowly pulled out of the parking space.

"You know, that place is a dead-"

"A dead lead? Is that what your commanding officer told you? Come on Daniel, you're smarter than that," Mike said, cutting him off.

Not willing to say anything more, Daniel Jimenez pointed his cruiser towards the Love Outreach shelter.

* * *

At about the very same time that Marcus Bledsoe was marching out of a heated conversation and into an evening which would haunt him forever, a large unmarked truck with a long flatbed trailer attached rumbled down a half-hidden service lane on the side of an abandoned looking factory. The worn painted sign posted at the top of the main warehouse like a billboard read "Carson's Furniture" in faded white lettering. Atop the flatbed was a large steel container, also unmarked. Several black cargo vans pulled up behind it, and a few paramilitary agents piled out of it, guns at the ready. A few workers came out of the building and began unhooking the straps holding the container. One of them was driving a large forklift. At least two of the men who were riding with the truck drivers, came out to monitor the transport of this enormous container. They both wore lab coats, and were looking back and forth between the container, and the tablets they were holding. One navy blue sedan pulled up behind the small convoy, and a sandy-haired male in a dark suit stepped out of the driver side. He looked like a cross between Secret Service and a Men in Black knockoff, but no one would have dared say that to Bishop's face. He casually observed the transport and made sure there were no hiccups.

It all went smoothly and as expected, something the company needed after the debacle at the underground facility. Bishop followed the workers, military, and scientists to another underground bunker situated a mile underneath the defunct factory. This was smaller, but no less equipped to handle their business than any other. It was cool in the cryogenic room, but not too cold. Bishop watched as the chamber which housed "Bouvetoya" was placed carefully in its holding room. They'd rescued the queen from the failed expedition on Bouvet Island, and kept her for experimentation. The company had been smart enough to realize that she could never be completely thawed. She was too old, too large, and too savvy a killer to be let loose in any capacity, but her eggs could be salvaged and incubated still. She served as the test subject from everything to military armor upgrades considering her tough exoskeleton, to cosmetics promising the proverbial fountain of youth considering her long as-yet-undetermined lifespan. She would continue to serve their purposes until she expired, or they simply disposed of her. In fact, that was one of the reasons a new queen had been allowed to emerge. It had taken a long time for that to come about, and the running theory was that new queens did not emerge until the old one was dead. Furthermore, the inactivity of the current queen may have eventually led to the aliens needing to reproduce on their own, and it could not be done without an active, functional queen. The downside to that, was that the natural order of things dictated that this species overtake all life wherever they happened to put down roots, and they could do it in less than a month if allowed to unchecked. Good thing the young queen had been destroyed along with her fledgling brood. A thorough sweep of the destroyed facility assured Bishop, and by extension the Company, of her demise. There could have been no escape, not even for a Xenomorph from that cataclysmic destruction.

After every precaution had been taken, Bishop and the company owned soldiers left the facility to attend other pressing matters. The scientists assigned to keep an eye on Bouvetoya had been warned that any failure on their part would forfeit their lives. The company would kill them if the Xenomorphs did not. With that in mind, they set the watch and waited. They had raised her temperature enough to prompt her to lay eggs, but not enough to wake her. A few hours later found the entire facility quiet. The security cameras rolled, and the guards were on duty, and nothing moved. Nothing except a single claw. She had not been able to move, or even think since she had been retrieved from the frozen ocean waters, but now one claw scraped lightly against the glass.

Her body was more awake that it had been in ages it seemed. She'd been attacked, wounded, and left in the frozen water. The water hadn't been as cold as the pyramid, but it was cold enough to make her go into a sort of hibernation. In such a state she could not protect herself, but the other creatures in the water avoided her, as if sensing her dangerous and alien nature. She knew nothing until she felt a heat that began to awaken her. Directly after that, was pain. She knew not from whence it came, nor who had visited it upon her. Her only thoughts were of recovering her senses and killing whatever was hurting her. More than that, she could hear the agony of her offspring in her mind. She thought maybe her captors were those 'others'. Eventually, she would realize that it was the other 'others'. The smaller, weaker, slower version of the 'big others'. Nevertheless, they had found a way to ensnare her and her offspring, but now she was awake. This time, unlike before, she realized not to alert them of her ever-growing conscious state. She kept still in whatever entrapment she was locked in, but in her mind, she reached out. If any of her hive was around, she could reach them, call to them.

In her mind there was nothing but a void of sense and sound and thought. White noise. She struggled, reached out over a longer distance, tried harder. More white noise. More nothingness. She resisted the urge to test her physical strength. She wanted to get out, but she had learned through experience that if she went too early, moved before she was ready, she would be hurt. There would be pain. They would have her children. They would hurt them, kill them. She was queen. She was not dead, so remained responsible. She settled her jumbled, pain-filled version of thought and called out again. This time further than she had ever needed, further than she had ever dared. White noise, but then….

In the darkness of the New York subway system, the new queen had already molted. She had made her birthing chamber, as now she was already one third the size of her former queen, and was mature enough to produce her own eggs. Yes, they had belonged to another, but she was queen now. The brood needed guidance, and only she could provide. The last queen was gone, dead, forgotten. The hive moved on, kept growing, got stronger. Her drones had done well. They had brought live subjects to serve as hosts, but they needed more numbers if they were to survive. They would have to reach out further distances, but this was necessary. This was survival, and she was queen. She cried out as she painfully brought forth the eggs that would one day soon be her children, her drones, her protectors, her subjects. Silently, she reached out to her fledgling brood. Yes, they were there, they were awaiting her orders, they were…?

The tunnels all around her, were suddenly filled with her angry screeches and cries. No! She could not still be alive! She could not have the brood! She was weak, and she had not exercised control since time out of reckoning! With a ferocity that only a new queen could wield, she called out a challenge, and a threat. Do not come here! Do not reach out! Die! Alone and forsaken, die! At the sound, her drones came running, shrieking their response and concern over what had angered their queen. Above them, she screamed and raged and thrashed, nearly tearing herself from her newly formed egg sac. They were afraid. Only the queen could make them feel fear or unease, and to calm both her and themselves, they softly hissed to her in unison. They belonged to her, and her alone.

* * *

 **A/N: Alright, so we took a little break from our favorite couple just to bring you back to the real issue which is this Xeno infestation. I've been trying to really do justice on the Xeno kill scenes as a nod to the essence of the original Alien movie. Now, who got my Easter eggs and did you like them? I hope you did! Next chapter we come back to Ms Jasmine and Mr Kujhade. Speaking of which, Landochansea and LovyDovy, you two have given me LIFE do you hear me?! I LOVE that the last chapter had y'all feeling some type of way! Judging by the response, y'all about to find me and string me up by my toenails, because I'm going to test our couple a bit. They'll be stronger for it, but it will be difficult to read. Jasmine suffers because she still has one or two old demons to exorcise, but I promise you she will really grow as a woman, a wife, a mother, and a warrior. I just ask that you be patient with me, and don't hunt me down :)**

 **By the way, since I've prewritten chapter ahead I've had the rare opportunity of including you guys in my writing process. Based on what your feelings are about what you read, has helped me tremendously in shaping, writing, and re-writing some aspects of the chapters ahead. So, I thank you for more than just reviews and faves, I thank you for allowing me to write for you and give you what I think is a good story.**


	7. The Captain of Her Heart

Jasmine had been cooped up in the house for the last day or so. Mating season only lasted about two weeks, then immediately after was the Hunter's moon which marked the beginning of the chiva. It had already been four of this planet's days, and she was being worn thin between constant sex, training, and caring for the boys. She didn't have a whole lot of time, so she was here studying. Kujhade had shown her how to access the general database for information, and suggested she learn all she could about the prey she would have to hunt; kiande amedha. All the information was in their language, and even though she could access audio files which explained literally everything you'd ever want to know about these things, her translator could only pick up the salient points. She had to fill in the blanks with the accompanying video feed, and context clues.

She'd been at it for hours. Sitting back and rubbing her eyes, Jasmine paused the video of a Xenomorph being implanted into a host. Kujhade had often spoke about them, but it was only now that she was getting a clearer picture of just what she was going to be facing. It scared the living hell out of her. She shivered, and turned her mind to more pleasant thoughts. Mainly, they consisted of having very public sex with Kujhade in almost every kind of gathering. She was surprised to realize that the mating ritual she had attended had only been the official one. Yautjas hosted their own little gatherings throughout the entire mating season, and she and Kujhade had been the stars of a couple of shows. Many had never seen a human mate one of their own, and apparently, it was a fascinating piece of business. None of them ever spoke to her aside from the occasional snarl or threat, but Kujhade had been getting a lot of feedback about it from the other males. Most of them thought the fact that Kujhade did not need to engage in a fight prior to the mating, to be the most intriguing albeit confusing part of it all. What kind of female does not make a male prove he has the right to seed her? Even life mates squared off before mating just as a custom, so that was no excuse. Some of them even could see what the attraction was. Sure she was hideous, but her mating scent was exquisite, and Kujhade had gotten into at least three skirmishes with some newly eligible bachelors about mating Jasmine. In short, they could not overpower one of their own females, and Jasmine being human presented no such issue. She was an easier catch with Kujhade being the only obstacle between them and an easy lay. The only problem was that Kujhade was a hell of an obstacle to overcome, and they were too young, inexperienced, and crazed by the need to mate to defeat him. He didn't kill any of them, but the third one wasn't going to be able to go on a hunt for a while. It was the price he paid for persistence.

Ever since being on this planet, Jasmine was not allowed to go anywhere unaccompanied by a yautja. All her business was conducted this way as well, even at the market. No one would serve her, or acknowledge her except members of her own clan. If she wanted something, she either had to send the young female when she was available, or wait for Lijia who performed the transactions for her. Most times she went along just to get out of the house, but it was uncomfortable and awkward, and that feeling never changed.

During the mating season, this was intensified and it seemed her very presence outside of putting on a sex show, irritated the vast majority of the populace. Usually able to control such impulses, the yautja's were running mostly on pure instinct and heightened sex drives. The challenges were becoming more intense as time wore on, and the best pickings were being taken out of the gene pool. The females mated many males, but when they realized they had become impregnated, they were no longer available for mating. They entered their rather lengthy gestation periods and headed back to their own territories to carry the pups to term and raise them. The males had become more daring in their pursuit of a female, and the females responded in kind. Even though they were becoming a bit desperate, the females made a specific point to avoid approaching Kujhade. No matter what kind of favor he curried with the Matriarch, they still had no desire to birth an albino pup. Only one single female bucked the trend consistently, and that was none other than R'ka.

Jasmine had won their non-lethal challenge, but R'ka was not done. She made attempts to mate Kujhade at every turn, but he refused. At first, Jasmine allowed herself to believe that it was due to his undying love for her, until he burst her bubble with a simpler truth; it went against his word. The life-mating was his word of honor that his seed was Jasmine's to have. It was born of the idea that there would be little to no chance of a yautja female bearing pups for him, and to a large degree this remained true. R'ka was the one incongruity, and no amount of pressing Kujhade could make him tell her why. As she sat back in her seat, Jasmine couldn't help but go over the events of the night before after returning home from yet another mating ritual gathering.

 _They made it back to their domicile to find the boys fast asleep, and their temporary babysitter waiting by the door. She bid the parents a quick farewell, and left quickly. They shared a vigorous sex romp in the woods, but Kujhade wasn't tired out yet and demanded another round before allowing Jasmine to recuperate. They lay snuggled against one another, but didn't sleep. Jasmine was tired, but the confrontation with R'ka two nights before, and more importantly Kujhade's reaction worried her. She'd known him long enough to realize that any dillydallying with her words was apt to upset him, so she simply came out with it._

" _Do you want to fuck R'ka?" She blurted out. He answered her just as smoothly as she'd asked._

" _Sei-i," came the quick one-word reply. Jasmine's heart sank, and all her insecurities rushed to the forefront, begging to be voiced, but she swallowed them as best she could. With his hormones raging, it would not be wise to get into her own emotions despite how it made her feel._

 _ **He's not human, he's not human, he's not human…..but he's still a man**_

 _She repeated that mantra in her mind, as she tried hard to formulate her next statement carefully. She had to be articulate and succinct, and she could not show undue stress over what to him was a simple, and irrelevant matter._

" _So, why didn't you have her that night?" That was the best she could do. She licked her lips and waited patiently for his answer. He heard her heart start racing, and her pulse quicken, but it was unaccompanied by any trace of fear. There was however, some anxiety but he could not determine the source. In any case, he wished to calm her and it seemed an answer would serve that purpose._

" _We are life mated. You have not agreed that I could spend my seed elsewhere, so I did not," simple and plain. The anxiety lessened, but it did not go away._

" _So, if I told you that you could have sex with her, you would?" She knew it was a dangerous path to tread. These were questions meant for a human man, and if he had any sense it was a question he would know exactly how to answer. "You know I love you; I don't want anyone else but you; I love you, why would you ask me that?" These were not questions meant for a yautja arbitrator, who under any other circumstances would have ignored her, or killed her. She didn't seem to be able to help herself._

" _I would go immediately to mate her," again with the fucking truthful, blunt ass answers. She wanted to cry. Her woman's intuition was spot on. She wasn't good enough, wasn't enough woman for him, and how could she have been? She'd taken a good look at the females around her, and in many ways, she didn't stack up._

 _On Earth, Jasmine was desirable because of how she looked. She was young and pretty, she was talented, she had a nice body, hazel eyes, and nice ass. If she twerked it just right, winked seductively, or flirted in any way, men would crawl over each other to be with her. Even after she had declined due to drug use, this was still the case when she cleaned herself up and went out. Here, there were no dance clubs, or porn movies, or video vixens. There were no outrageous standards of beauty, or superficial demands made of women, to measure up to some ideal the men had. Here, it was about what you could do, what you had done, what you could offer to the community at large. You either cut the mustard or you didn't. Shit or get off the pot, as her mother used to say. You proved your worth, and if you couldn't hack it, you died or you lived in exile to your last days. Here you either killed or you were killed, hunt or you were hunted, mate or let your lineage die with you. In short, her beauty did not matter here. In fact, she was not considered beautiful among them. To go even further, she was not considered much at all among them. She was weak, prey, pitiful. She had birthed pups, but that was more of a curious thing than something to be fully respected. She had not even passed the most fundamental and elementary test of all yautja, which was the first among many to prove that you even deserved to live and contribute to their race. The only reason she was even here with Kujhade in the first place, had nothing to do with who she was, but rather who she wasn't. She wasn't a yautja, so therefore was not in any position to judge him or refuse him. Had he been deemed acceptable as a sire by the majority of females, he never would have sought out human companionship at all. It was then that a horrible realization hit her all over again, and threatened to burst forth from her in a mix of hurt and anger; she was a consolation prize. Nothing more, and nothing less. Kujhade had lived among his kind as a second-class citizen, socially speaking, and had to settle for any female who could physically bear him children._

" _I have given my word Jasmine. That is enough," he added. She couldn't take anymore. She grit her teeth and then turned to face him. She gave him her best smile, and kissed him gently on his crest and mouth, and excused herself under the pretense of going to the bathroom._

 _She had to bite down on her own arm to keep the sounds of her crying from reaching him. A year ago, she would have cried openly, but since being among the rest of his kind, she had stopped being so open with him about everything she was feeling. Much of it he did not understand, and if she was being honest with herself, he was largely unconcerned with her more complicated female human emotional states and reactions. If it did not directly concern himself, the pups, her personal safety and welfare, or the hunt, Kujhade viewed it as unimportant. Over the past year, she had felt the dynamics of their relationship shift. It was subtle but irreversible nonetheless. For a long time he tolerated with an enormous amount of patience, her emotional outbursts, her misunderstanding of his culture, and her dogged determination to hold on to values and mores which were stupid and served no real purpose in his eyes. Yes, she had come far, but not far enough. He had life mated her, she had birthed children who would never know much about their human heritage, and she had been in battle with him. In his eyes, that made her part of them, and as such there were certain expectations which came with the territory. One of those things, was having more control over her emotions. It was highly frowned upon to indulge in feelings of jealousy, greed, laziness, or sadness. It was even more frowned upon to display such feelings outwardly. This was seen as a weakness of the mind, and character, and placed a small blight upon one's honor._

 _With that in mind, Jasmine cried bitterly but in silence. He loved her. It was a love unburdened by complicated scenarios, or the trappings of delicate human emotions. His love was manifest in his patience, in his protection of her and the pups. It was in his eyes when he looked at her, it was in the way he accepted Mili as his pup, it was in the way he had went against a lifetime of dogmatic teaching and accepted behavior for her sake, for the sake of their lives together. She cried because the tectonic plates which formed the bedrock and foundation of their relationship, were subtly and slowly shifting. Even the smallest shift could create tremors and Earthquakes, and nothing would be the same afterwards. It pained her in the deepest places of her heart, but she loved him so much, that she felt she would die even at the thought of being without him. There was another thing also; love meant sacrifice. She would never go back to Earth, or be part of the society she was born and raised in. To that end, some of the things she had ever learned about anything simply had no place here, but love was not one of those things. Love was one of the most powerful human emotions, and could be wielded for good or ill to devastating effect. Jasmine would hold on to love, or at least her ideal of it. It would be the opposite of what she'd been shown. It would not be full of selfish desires, and it would not be characterized by how much pain she could inflict, but rather what she could endure. He was denied the simple right of fathering children, and even though she had birthed two, they were half-breeds. She felt no ill sentiment about that, and neither did he for that matter, but it was the simple truth. Jasmine had never experienced being denied a man, regardless of the nature of the relationship. She had always had dreams of someday getting married and having children, and she did not have to resort to any extreme measures. It was possible, plenty possible. All she had to do was clean up her act, and it could happen. Kujhade had been denied this for many years, until now. There was a small glimmer of hope for him to have what he truly desired, and she had the power to grant or deny. His hope had come in the most abominable, disrespectful package she could think of, but this wasn't about her. This was about him. He had a chance, so the question was, did she love him enough to let him take that chance? He had given her so much happiness, but what would she give him in return? What was she willing to sacrifice for his sake? The answer, of course, was her heart. She would give a piece of her heart away, and hope that she could survive without it._

 _Jasmine dried her eyes, and straightened herself out. She exited the bathroom to find him on his back, resting but not asleep. She padded her way to their bed pit, and lay next to him. He was awake, his green eyes reflecting the moonlight which filtered in from the skylight in the ceiling. She swallowed hard as her heart fluttered in her chest, and the pit in her stomach deepened with every passing moment. He did not acknowledge her, although there was no anger in it. Jasmine climbed on top of him, straddled his middle and looked into his face. He looked back at her without any readable expression. She kissed his closed mandibles gently before she spoke._

" _I love you, and even though you have never said those words, I know you love me too," she began. He waited patiently for her to continue._

" _I don't ever want to deprive you of anything that makes you happy. You give me everything, and I realize that I don't really give you anything in return," she went on to say._

" _That is not true," he offered. "That has never been true, my mate," She shook her head in denial._

" _I don't do enough. You've gone against so many of your customs for me, and I can't think of one thing I've gone against so that you could feel comfortable. I know you may not understand why I'm saying what I'm saying, but," she hesitated. This was so damn hard to do, but she felt she must no matter the personal cost._

" _If you, if you want to mate with R'ka… I give you permission," she said, and the pit in her stomach churned mercilessly. His eyes focused on her face. He was looking for any sign of deceit, and found none. She was being sincere._

" _You are certain of what you say?" He asked. She simply nodded, not having the heart to verbalize it again. He stared at her for a long moment, with that old familiar look where the emotions swam just below the surface._

 _She crawled off him as he rose to a sitting position. True to his word, once she gave the permission, he gathered himself and left immediately. She held it together for a few minutes after he left, but then burst into tears and sobbed quietly into the furs of the bed until she fell asleep._

Jasmine was startled out of her thoughts by Kujhade's entrance. Given the last thought she had before seeing him, it was difficult to manage her usual greeting, but she tried anyway. She got up to come towards him, but stopped in her tracks. She sniffed the air in his direction, and then frowned. There was something familiar about the smell, but it was mixed with something. She was about to make some off-handed comment about how stinky he was until realization dawned. It hit her like a punch to the gut. It was his mating musk, but mingled with another similar scent, and she knew it belonged to R'ka.

"Well, hello to you too," she said, crossing her arms over her chest because she didn't know what else to do with them. She wanted to hit something. Maybe smack herself in the face for being such a dumbass.

He grunted her a response, then went to the small locked box, opened it, and retrieved one of his trophies. Even after all this time, his main collection remained on the ship they arrived in. He only had a few trinkets here that didn't take up too much space. Jasmine peeked around to see what he had in his hands. It was an ornate blade, no more than a pocket knife to him, but it made Jasmine angry all the same. A trophy for R'ka.

"You've gotta get her a gift too? Not enough that she got you?" Jasmine said in a clipped, angry tone. Kujhade stopped and stared at her as if she'd lost her mind.

"We've mated several times already. I should have presented the trophy first, but I did not," he said as he placed the dagger in his belt and went for the door. She stood in front of it, with her mouth a thin line. She wrinkled her nose again, and looked into his face.

"You have permission to mate her, but you don't have permission to come here wearing her pussy scent," she said bluntly. His eyes went from slightly bemused, to hard and flat. He growled low in his throat, and Jasmine's eyes narrowed.

"When I life-mated you, I gave you my word and I honored it. Now, you gave me your word, and you will honor it. I mated her, I wear her scent like I wear your scent. I have business to attend, and I do not have time for this," he said, and then gently but firmly picked her up by her shoulders and placed her to the side.

At a complete loss for words, Jasmine stood with her jaw working furiously to stay shut, as she watched him leave. When the door opened, none other than R'ka herself had been standing there. The walls weren't as thick as Jasmine would have liked to believe, so Big Bertha had heard that exchange. Jasmine settled a steely gaze upon the large female, and it was returned in kind. Seeming oblivious, or maybe plain not giving a shit, Kujhade openly handed R'ka the ornate blade. She took the gift, with a gesture which seemed to Jasmine to be ungrateful, and then caught Jasmine's eye contact again. R'ka trilled in her direction; a happy sound. She then turned on her heels so fast, her dreads slapped against her shoulders and strode off, Kujhade in tow. He did not even cast a look back in Jasmine's direction. Jasmine blinked away angry tears which she did not allow to fall, and looked around to see how many yautja she had been embarrassed in front of, only to find that they paid no mind to the scene. It was a quick reminder that she was the only one feeling hurt and left out. She was about to let the door slide closed, when she spotted Lijia. Jasmine didn't feel much like entertaining any yautja right now, but swallowed it. She'd brought this latest heartache upon herself, and taking it out on Lijia was both unfair and useless.

Lijia had come to escort Jasmine and the pups to the kehrite, but upon entering the private quarters, she noticed something very off. She stood at the door a moment, while Jasmine sat back in front of the projectile screen. On the screen, a human host had just been implanted, and it was now showing how the nasty little fuckers developed and then broke free.

"Are you ready to go?" Lijia asked. She looked around and noticed that Jasmine didn't seem to be in any rush, and the pups were still taking their nap.

"I'm not going anywhere today. I'm studying. All the training in the world won't help if I don't even know what I'm hunting and fighting," Jasmine said, sulkily. Lijia went to one side of the room, and dragged a seat and placed it right next to Jasmine. She paused the video feed, and looked at the human who had become her clan sister.

"You are typically eager to train, and prove your strength. What has happened, and do not deceive me Jasmine," Lijia asked, with some concern. Jasmine wanted to be strong, to hold it in. After all, Lijia was still a yautja, still a predator. She could no more respect such weakness than any of them, but Jasmine couldn't stop herself. She looked up at Lijia with shiny eyes.

"I've done something so stupid Lijia. Now, I can't get out of it," Jasmine whimpered, placed her elbows on the table, and held her face in her hands. Her shoulders hitched with silent cries.

Lijia had seen Jasmine upset before, but something was different about this time. There had been no danger, no upsetting circumstances, so Lijia waited on her clan sister to calm down and tell her what was so wrong. It didn't take long for Jasmine to calm herself. She swallowed hard, and checked to see that she hadn't woke up her boys.

"I let Kujhade have sex with R'ka," she said, and Lijia's look of utter surprise caught her off guard.

"You did what?!" Lijia shouted.

"I knooow, I feel so damn stupid!" Jasmine shouted and picked up her training mask which lay on the table, and threw it at the wall hard.

"Mamaaa," Mili cried as he was startled out of his sleep. He wiped his little eyes, and toddled to her with his arms out.

"Mama's sorry baby," she said as she picked him up and rubbed soothing circles in his back.

"Lijia, how do I get out of this," she said. Her voice sounded sad, as it did on those rare occasions when she would speak to Lijia about Earth and the things she missed. She sat down and rocked Mili gently until he settled down, but he was wide awake. Yeyinde wasn't far behind, as she saw him sit up and look at his brother. He burst out laughing, and Mili scrambled off his mother's lap, and ran to jump and tackle his brother. Jasmine watched with a wan, sad smile on her face before turning back to Lijia.

"From all accounts, you stood your ground and took the challenge she issued. Now, you have done nothing but void that victory. I do not understand this Jasmine. Why would you do this? Did someone threaten you over it?" Lijia asked, her lower mandibles moving rapidly with a mix of frustration and anger, both directed at Jasmine.

"Oh my god," Jasmine said quietly and stood to her feet, her back turned to Lijia as she hugged herself.

"I was trying to make him happy Lijia. I thought that, being with me was somehow making him, I don't know, worse I guess. I know what he wants in his heart, and it isn't me. He wants his own kind, and children with them. He only chose me because there was no other choice to make. For him, being with R'ka is like getting the queen Xeno trophy, and being with me is like, I don't know, getting one of those dog things you all play with. Just not good enough," she said. When she turned around, she was unprepared for the obvious anger written all over Lijia's face and body language.

"I asked if I could be a mate to Kujhade, and you became angry with me. Now, you have given this very permission to a female that you have defeated in a challenge, and that you do not even like?" Lijia asked, and there was another emotional kick to the groin, that almost made Jasmine double over. Lijia waved it away.

"In spite of that, you were challenged by a female, accepted, and prevailed, only to later void this by giving your mate specific permission to mate the same female. Do you know that none of this has ever been done in the history of our species?! Do you even know who R'ka is to him?" Lijia said, absently stalking towards Jasmine. She didn't mean to be threatening, but she couldn't really help it. It was rare that Jasmine caused her to be angry for any reason, but this was unthinkable.

"Furthermore, why do you think so lowly of yourself in your mate's eyes? Has Kujhade stated these things to you, that you are inferior, or that he thinks of you as low prey?" Lijia asked, not believing that Kujhade could have expressed that. Then again males sometimes had a way about them.

"No, he didn't, but I know it's true. I mean, think about it Lijia. If he could have had kids with any one of his own, he would have never chosen me in a thousand years and you know it. Now, he has a chance. Is it really right for me to stand in his way?" Jasmine asked, trying to plead her case.

"A chance? He has no chance. He is albino, and no matter how he has survived or turned out, he is still an albino. We still do not welcome such a genetic inferiority into the gene pool. I have traveled with you, Kujhade, and these dear pups, and I have nothing but respect for this choice of keeping Mili alive. At first, I didn't understand the choice, even though I agreed with it. I can see that this defect does not have to doom one to fail as a hunter, but that will not remove the hardship in life. Kujhade is outcast, not due to his honor but his genetics. You know this," Lijia said, but Jasmine seemed confused. Lijia clicked loudly in frustration. She started pacing, and flaring her mandibles. Jasmine had simply never seen her this way.

"You have been with us for more than two Earth cycles, yet you refuse to learn anything! This feeling you humans have, this love you call it. We are able to feel that sometimes. A bearer feels it for her pup, a youngblood may even feel it for their huntmaster… and a life mate feels it for their mate. Don't you know that Kujhade did not need to life-mate you in order to make you birth his pups? He had you in his grasp, and under his control. Had he a mind to do so, he could have simply imprisoned you, mated you as he pleased and you would have no say or choice in the matter. Yet, he does the opposite and life-mates you, marries you as you call it. He defends you, he defends his pups, he protects your honor. Do you know that the Matriarch could have decreed him a bad blood for even being associated with you in this way, and that he was prepared to fight even her?! Do you have any idea what that means for us, to even consider such an act of defiance? For you, Jasmine, he had done this, and you dare to question your status in his eyes? You are a fool! A human pauk'de fool, and I will not tolerate more!" Lijia shouted, as she stood over a withered Jasmine.

With each accusation, Jasmine had crumpled into herself and onto the floor. She was bowed until her forehead touched the ground, hugging herself, rocking and crying bitterly. Every syllable Lijia had spoken was correct, and it hit her at the very core of her being.

"That's why I did this Lijia," Jasmine said in a hushed tone, in between sobs. "He has given me everything. He has changed his whole way of doing, of being, just to show me how he feels. Every day, it eats me alive to know it, but I have done nothing, given him nothing. I have not changed for him, I haven't made it easier on him. I have wanted more and more and more, things he can't give. I decided, I could bear this pain for him. I decided, to give him what he wants most I think. He wants a yautja woman, and pure bred pups, and I can give him neither," Jasmine said. It was the simple truth. She had laid it out on the table under the harsh light of reality, to be examined and picked apart. Maybe it was pathetic, but it was still the truth as she felt it in her heart.

"Little do you understand, my human clan sister. R'ka will not give him these things either," Lijia said, squatting next to Jasmine, and lifting her chin to meet her eyes. Jasmine's was a look of utter shock and confusion. She tried to say something, but found herself speechless.

"I know Kujhade would never tell you, but his is a well-known story. R'ka is the sister of Bakuub. When Kujhade first appeared among us, he was again rejected by his bearer and older sibling. He was taken to the Matriarch, it was Dhi'routa then as well, to have a decision made upon his fate. There were a lot of opinions, most were to kill him, but the high council finally came to an honorable decision. The young blood had proved his worth and right to live by surviving against such terrible odds. His bearer was brought before the courts, and banished to a status just shy of being a bad blood. This was because she did not kill Kujhade as she should have, but chose a more dishonorable way. She tried to leave him for dead, a coward's way, but since he did not die she was punished for the decision. It was Dhi'routa who decided that as one of the more promising young clan leaders, Bakuub would be a good choice of mentor, and proper huntmaster," Lijia told. Jasmine had never heard anything other than the snippets of story that Kujhade reluctantly offered about his past.

"Bakuub balked as heavily as he dared against even being associated with one such as Kujhade, but in the end he had no choice. They remained here on the home planet until Kujhade was old enough to perform a proper chiva. During that time, R'ka was also training, as she is about the same age as Kujhade. She gave him a hard time. She openly ridiculed him along with all the other youngbloods, until Bakuub finally put an end to it. It was only after Kujhade returned from his chiva, bringing with him at least five successful solo kills, and the shared trophy of a kiande amedha queen, that he gained honor and respect. After that, he was made to travel with Bakuub on his clan ship, in order to partake of even more challenging hunts. Word spread quickly of this pale hunter, who conquered all prey with an ease which was rare to come by even for us. Many cycles later, they returned to the home planet, and all the females who had sworn he would never be welcome to their wombs, were eager to mate him," Lijia continued.

While she was talking, the twins had come to soothe their mother, who was now only sniffling here and there as she listened closely to the tale. They had even begun to purr at her while climbing into her lap. They were also trying to bring their foreheads to hers, and she obliged, much to their delight.

"Is R'ka, K'var's bearer?" Jasmine, asked. Lijia scoffed.

"No, she is not. K'var's bearer still lives here. She was the diminutive female who was standing on the edge of the warrior's hall where those honored hunters whose remains we possess, are placed," Lijia said, and Jasmine nodded. She remembered that one. Very quiet and aloof, she was. Now, Jasmine understood why; she was grieving the loss of her pup.

"That was the female who managed to garner Kujhade's attention. The other females were somewhat willing, but did not want to take the chance on bearing a pup with his affliction, that they would then be forced to kill. After K'var was born, everyone sought out Kujhade for the next mating cycle. He mated a few as the story goes, but only R'ka became impregnated. Many females envied her having become the potential bearer for such a powerful hunter, but it was short-lived. The pup did not even have a name. The only reason we know it took after Kujhade's genetics was because R'ka was without a pup that next mating cycle. This ended all chances for Kujhade becoming a great sire among us. No other female of good genetic stock would even consider it. He was rebuffed heavily, and from that point, he did not mate a yautja female again. R'ka is eager to mate him because of his sexual prowess, and their history, but I doubt she will bear him pups, if that is indeed what he desires from her," Lijia concluded to Jasmine's amazement.

Her husband had led a storied life in his more than two centuries worth of living, and she had very little clue about any of it. He was private. So much so, that he would have never given her a blow-by-blow as Lijia had done. Jasmine was sitting now with her back to the wall, legs crossed and her boys all over her. They were two big balls of endless energy, and all of it was focused on her at the moment. Instead of being frustrated by it, Jasmine welcomed it. It was soothing to her, like cool water on a hot summer's day.

Lijia was still squatting on her haunches, and looking at Jasmine. Her earlier anger abated, and her face now was one of concern. She began to purr lightly, replacing her earlier growls and chuffs.

"I never knew all of that. No one ever told me," Jasmine said, her eyes cast down in thought.

"You did not ask. You show interest in Kujhade and in our culture, but only that which serves your relationship with him. What you must learn, is to become one with it. You talk about what R'ka can give that you cannot. You should understand that you are the only one to have given him what he wants most, and that is strong pups. R'ka killed his pup, and if I know her, she will not bear him another no matter what she says," Lijia said, and the conviction in her voice, gave Jasmine hope but still.

"He's never going to come back to me Lijia. I heard what you said, but he doesn't respect me, not after this. He can't. I've lost him, for good I think," Jasmine said. Lijia clicked her mandibles thoughtfully.

"I do not believe this is true. As a human, you are a very different kind of mate. Kujhade is male, and so can be quite stubborn. If you are patient, and concentrate on the chiva that you must survive, he will gain a better perspective. Now come. You are late and Dteinou does not like to wait," said her friend who stood and offered Jasmine a hand up.

"What's on the agenda today, do you know?" Jasmine asked, finally gathering her training gear and children.

"After Dteinou does the kick of your ass; tracking and navigation without equipment," she said, and chuckled at her own use of Jasmine's lingo, completely unaware that she'd botched it. The earlier tension left, as they exited companionably about ten minutes later, but Jasmine would not forget a word of what Lijia had told her this day.

* * *

 **A/N: So how do we feel about Jasmine's decision? Was Lijia correct in being angry, and what do you think is going through Kujhade's mind? I'm so interested in hearing you guy's thoughts.**

 **By the way, in the last chapter, mentioning Alexa wasn't my only nod to the movies. Danny and Mike are the sons of Leona and Mike from Predator 2. Remember the baby the detective woman was pregnant with when the City Hunter decided not to kill her? That's Danny. In my story, she named him Danny in honor of their colleague Danny which the City Hunter killed. Mike Jr is of course Mike Harrigan's son. Made up of course, but who says the detective didn't have a son? So, I've made sure that we have another dynamic detective duo in Danny and Mike just like in Predator 2. :)**


	8. Love On The Brain

Usually, when five people go to work in the morning, and then don't show up at home in the evening, the police are called, and the news might cover such a story. When the police are directed to the last place where these people were known to be, a crime scene is likely created, especially given the obvious signs of struggle. However, when these five people work for a subsidiary of a company which employs not only its own para-military group, but its own police force, these things tend to be handled in a very discreet manner. Anyone looking at it objectively would understand the Weyland-Yutani Corporation for what it was; its own self-contained and self-governed sovereign entity. Most people did not see it that way. In fact, the general public oftentimes were unaware of just how many cookie jars the Weyland-Yutani Corporation had its proverbial hands in.

Instead of the New York police being directed to Sandy Talbot and crew's worksite when they failed to report back to dispatch, Weyland's own investigative department was given the call and the task. One man was sent to take a look at the subway site. Mr. Norman Pettiford had a decorated military background, and also did a stint as a homicide detective for the Chicago Police department for a few years. He eventually grew tired of the never-ending workload and put in for an early retirement. He was young yet, only fifty-eight years old which was a quite an early retiring age indeed. He wasn't ready to sit down in a rocking chair, and play shuffle board and bingo every evening, so when he was tapped by the head of Weyland Security to be one of their top investigators and advisors, he jumped at the chance. His job was usually very laid-back, and full of pencil-pushing so he was more than prepared for doing a little field work. Mr. Pettiford had no desire to visit countless murder scenes anymore, but filing paper work and shooting the shit with the guys playing golf on their lunchbreak, could only satisfy a true detective so much.

Bailey had offered to come with, but she was a distraction more than a help. He wouldn't be able to concentrate on his task with her big tits sitting in his face all morning. To make matters worse, she didn't seem to have a good handle on how much cleavage was too much, and while he enjoyed the show, he didn't have time for it today. Today, he got to flex his old detective muscle, one that he would find never went away, just sat dormant until he called on it again.

Norman Pettiford made it down the same subway service steps, that crew five had descended just twenty-four hours prior. Just like on the job, he never wore suits and business attire in the field. You never knew just what the hell kind of scene you were apt to walk into, so he had on a pair of jeans, some old tennis shoes, and a light sweatshirt.

As soon as he got to the bottom of that short staircase, two things hit him. One, was the stench, which was saying a lot having been well-acquainted with both New York's and Chicago's subway systems. The second, was all the blood smears mixed with some unidentified substance. His hackles raised and he instinctively reached for the 9mm handgun he kept in a shoulder holster. Some habits were hard to break. He'd come expecting to find either nothing, or some communications screw up, but as he slowly walked through the area, being careful not to step into any large puddles of blood or goo, he knew very well that he had come upon a murder scene.

"Where the fuck are the bodies?" Norman asked himself. There were definite signs of struggling and fighting given the blood, but there were no bodies. If he were still working in the police department, he would have called this in already, but he was a proud employee of Weyland-Yutani, and the rule was that all affairs concerning the company were to be handled in-house first. He wasn't opposed to the rule, but he wanted to find out exactly what he was calling in first.

"Hello, this is the pol- This is emergency assistance, is anyone here?" He called out loudly, but didn't like the way his voice took on a flat quality as the sound was absorbed rather than echoed.

From a belt clip on his jeans, he pulled a small but powerful flashlight, and stood both aghast and disgusted at the sight which greeted him. A blackish-grey, semi-hardened substance coated the walls, the floor, and the ceiling all around. He turned in a slow circle, as he gawked at it and almost tripped over something. When he looked down and saw it was a bloodied workboot with the foot still inside, he went ahead and called it in. Norman backed up to the stairwell where there was at least one single light casting a sickly yellow glow over everything, and retrieved his company issued flip phone. This one had one number on speed dial, because if you had to use this phone, there was only one number you needed to call.

"This had better be good," a man's voice on the other end said.

"Yes, Mr. Bishop, this is Norman Pettiford. I was sent to investigate the disappearance of Crew Five in the subway," he said.

"I assume you found something interesting, or at least you better if you're calling me this early in the morning," Bishop said on the other end.

"I would think I found something interesting, yeah. It's all this crusty shit caped up around everywhere, and a left shoe with a foot still in it. Apparently, it didn't get the memo to follow its owner," he told. He was looking around the whole time, with the gun at the ready.

"Collect a sample if you can, and then get out of there. I'll send someone to deal with it," came the command, but Mr. Pettiford had a different idea.

"To hell wit' that. I ain't collecting shit out of here, just send somebody out. I'm leaving," Norman stated, and hung up promptly.

He had every intention of leaving, he really did, but that detective muscle wasn't done being flexed and worked out. The hairs on the back of his neck stood on end, as he suddenly had the feeling of being watched. The stairwell was just to his right, and all good sense told him that he needed to ascend those stairs, but he had to know. _Know what_ , he asked himself. _Why, I need to know what happened_ , he replied in his mind. To that end, Norman Pettiford ventured forth in the darkness of the tunnels. The city was still under the impression that this part of the subway route was under maintenance, so therefore the train which usually ran, was detoured along another set of tracks. The last station it stopped at before taking that detour was only a few city blocks from the spot where Norman now stood. If he walked, he could reach the platform in about ten to fifteen minutes. Grabbing his flashlight again, he went back to the shoe with its gruesome contents, and looked around it. There were some drag marks which were coming from the direction of another smaller service tunnel. Norman carefully followed the drag marks to the tunnel entrance. It seemed as if no one had been down here for decades, maybe longer. He knew that wasn't the case, but the feeling of desertion was strong. It was as if some unnamed force was repelling human presence, as if to say that humans no longer belonged and that it would be seen to that they went away.

The feeling was so intense that Norman found himself absently shaking his head, as if to confirm that he, in fact, did not belong. He turned to leave, suddenly disinterested in what may have transpired here, until the beam of his flashlight caught the outline of something. It looked like a body. He'd seen cadavers in all kinds of conditions, and his mind quickly put the puzzle together. For as much as he was being repelled, he was also being invited further in. He crept in. The hairs on his neck practically took off running, but he still kept moving forward instead of back. It was very dark, and the smell cloying. He suddenly got the image of walking down the world's largest gullet, and it sent a shiver down his spine. Norman Pettiford was not a shiver-down-the-spine type of guy, and he shook the thought out of his mind. It took a seat in the corner, but it did not leave.

He tried with all his might, to see what his eyes were looking at. It was unbelievable. It was a body that seemed to have the majority of the top half burned away. He recalled one case about fifteen years ago, where this guy in his twenties thought he could pull off a murder by soaking the remains of his girlfriend in acid. He hadn't done a real successful job, and Norman remembered thinking – with no small level of utter disgust – that it looked akin to melting wax, or the way ice cream dripped off a cone. That body still had a little skin left, but this one had nothing. There was a partial piece of skull, most of it was nothing more than dust. Around where the chest should have been, there was a large hole like someone had dropped a hot quarter through snow, only bigger. The skin and bone around it had a charred, melted effect, and the hands still held the haft of a tool. Maybe a shovel of some kind. From the looks of it, this person had been rather large. Who could have overcome this guy, and then poured acid on his face and chest?

 _Not who, my good sir, but what?_

Norman shook out that thought too. He wasn't in the inner circle per se, but he'd seen, and heard, and snooped enough to know that Weyland-Yutani was often up to no good. Often up to some real hinky shit. This looked to be the hinkiest of all the shit Norman had seen thus far, and he was in no small hurry to leave. He turned on his heels and moved a little faster towards the tunnel opening, which yawned like an enormous maw. He was almost there when some _thing,_ dropped from the ceiling no more than two or three yards away. Norman stopped and pulled up his gun. He fired four shots immediately. No use waiting. If it was one of the guys, he had a plausible reason for firing his weapon, and besides, there was no internal affairs department to investigate it anyway. Whatever it was, it was unphased, and seemed to move with frightening speed. Norman Pettiford shot off another two rounds…. then he screamed.

Along the platform, the people milled around as they waited. Some with headphones in their ears, the majority absorbed in their phones or tablets, and still others talked and laughed with friends. The few standing more-or-less at the end of the subway platform turned their heads curiously in the direction of the empty tunnel ahead. They didn't know each other, but looked questioningly at one another anyway.

"Ya hear that?" One guy asked a young teen.

"Yeah, sounded like somebody bustin' shots," the teen said excitedly.

"Nah, it was probably some kinda machine or sumthin'. Ya know they was doin' some work down there," a middle-aged lady offered.

The sounds of Norman screaming seemed to alert even more people, but before they could ask any more questions among each other, the F Sixth Avenue Local roared and rattled into the station.

* * *

It was a rare treat indeed to be able to take advantage of one of only two small basking areas in the city. It was similar in function, but calling it a bathhouse would be too formal of a word. It was really a grouping of geothermal pools which so happened to be regularly frequented by higher ranking yautja. Miles away, there was a waterfall, which fed an estuary, which in turn fed water to the pools. Both male and female alike were welcome, and there was never any separation based on gender. It was looked over by elder females, and unblooded pups served as the cleanup crew. There were ten pools in total, nestled in a rocky outcropping on the edge of the bustling city-state. Several males soaked or sprawled out on the rocks and rested. The steam from the water and the blazing sun heating the rocks, created the yautja version of a luxurious spa. It lacked a bar, cocktails, or massage table unlike its Earthly counterpart. It was simply a place to come to where one could at least partially let their guard down after a long day of hunting, or at this time of year, a long day of constant mating.

In one of the larger pools overflowing with red water, colored so because of the sediment and the algae-like growth within, sat Kujhade and Mar'cte. They had not spoken since Kujhade entered the pool about thirty minutes before. Kujhade lay back, eyes open, gazing at the sky. Mar'cte was watching him silently.

"Speak Mar'cte," Kujhade finally said.

"What is wrong with you?" He asked bluntly. Kujhade took a while to answer.

"What makes you believe something is wrong?" He asked, knowing well how perceptive Mar'cte was.

"You are my clan leader and my brother for many cycles now. I haven't seen you this solemn in mating season since before Jasmine," he stated. At that, Kujhade's head snapped up, and he grumbled low under his breath.

"Do not mention her to me brother, I am disgusted with her. I should cast her out, send her back to her home planet," Kujhade said, getting himself worked up.

"Calm yourself. What are you saying? Surely you do not mean what you say?" Mar'cte asked, alarmed. He felt a strange feeling worm its way into his gut. He didn't like this attitude one bit.

"She won the mating challenge issued by R'ka, and then she gave me permission to mate R'ka. She voided her victory, sullied her own honor. What female does this? How do you-"

"R'ka issued a mating challenge? For you? You allowed such an act to take place after being life-mated?" Mar'cte questioned, sitting up a little straighter in the water to face his clan leader and brother.

"I did, and she answered the challenge after I warned her not to go to the mating ritual. Jasmine is disobedient Mar'cte, and she does not understand the simple concept of preserving her honor at all costs," Kujhade said. Mar'cte gave him a hard stare, which bordered on insubordination and disrespect.

"R'ka could have killed her. Maybe she would have liked to kill a mate of yours. You would have allowed this as well?" Mar'cte asked calmly.

"M-di!" Kujhade roared. "I would not allow harm to come to Jasmine in any way, you know this,"

"I know no such thing. You allowed R'ka to issue a challenge without checking her. Did you prepare Jasmine for such an encounter at the very least?" Mar'cte continued to challenge. He was walking a thin line between banter between friends, and a challenge to his clan leader. He thought he would take the chance.

"I told her not to go, that should have been enough. She insisted to go anyway. She wants to take part in our rituals, our gatherings, she should understand what she is getting into," Kujhade said stubbornly.

"Did you explain what she was to expect? Brother, Jasmine is human, there is much she does not comprehend about our ways. You cannot allow her to walk blindly into danger," Mar'cte said, taking on a more pleading tone rather than a challenging one.

"She does not understand, so therefore she should remain in her place! She should raise our pups, mate when asked, perform her chiva," Kujhade asserted, all while avoiding Mar'cte's glare.

"In other words, she is a lou-dte kale, and should behave as such," Mar'cte said, and the words hung in the air like an ugly slur.

Kujhade wanted to say something to deny that. Jasmine was most certainly not simply a child-bearer. He loved her in a way which was always difficult to express, and now she had rejected him. She was too willing it seemed, to give him to another female. An unworthy female considering the challenge outcome. She'd done it with ease, and actually mating R'ka was simply a way to prove to Jasmine what she had given away. He was a worthy mate in all ways, regardless of the past and regardless of his albinism. All of this went through his mind with clarity, but how to admit such weakness to a subordinate no less? Simple; you didn't. So Kujhade kept quiet and let Mar'cte continue.

"If R'ka birthed you the purebred pups you desire, what would become of my sister? Would you send her away like a bad blood, dishonored and in exile? I remember a time not so many cycles ago, when you would not have shown your face at a mating ritual," Mar'cte said.

"If R'ka is allowing you to mate with her, then know that she wants something in return, and it won't be your pups. You need to make sure that whatever the cost is for bedding who you like, is not too high for you….or for Jasmine," Mar'cte warned. He looked on a few moments more, then simply excused himself from the steaming water. Kujhade could only look on after him, unable to produce a good rebuttal before he left the area.

Mar'cte had made his way down the rocky slope. At the base of the pools, he saw R'ka heading up, presumably to where Kujhade was. He crossed the well-trodden path to end up right in front of her. He had to look up to see her face.

"You can't mate with me," she said flatly and tried to push past him. He stepped in her path again.

"I would never mate you. You are beautiful but your honor is questionable. I only want to warn you. If you hurt my clan sister,"

"That pathetic human that your clan leader stupidly life mated?"

"If she or her pups come to any harm, I will blame you. I will hunt you down and I will kill you myself," he said, then moved off as if the brief conversation had been amicable.

"How dare you threaten me over her? She is not even your mate! She gave me her prized possession, and she is nothing other than stupid for having done it. She's as weak as I thought, and you would do well to stay out of my way Mar'cte!" She yelled after him. He had not even turned around nor continued to acknowledge her after speaking his piece.

R'ka gathered herself and climbed the slippery rocks to where Kujhade was still seated. She stripped her meager clothing and settled beside him. Under the water, her hand found his limp member, and began to massage it as she purred. Absently, Kujhade reached over to grab her by the hips. He'd intended to place her on his lap in a straddle position, but the sharp pain of his half-erect penis being squeezed too tightly stopped him.

"I'm not that little human you sully your honor with. Fuck me like a real yautja," she demanded, and then loosened her grip a little. She flared her mandibles and reached out to claw him, but he moved back.

His mind turned to Jasmine of its own free will. He wouldn't have minded some sex to get over his current agitation, but he certainly didn't really feel up to fighting to make it happen. This time R'ka hissed at his apparent reluctance to engage. Furrowing his thorny brow, Kujhade lunged at her, striking her hard across the face. She was caught off guard by the viciousness of the attack, but turned on nevertheless, as her mating musk kicked into high gear. Spurred on both by sexual need, and an anger which bubbled just under the surface, Kujhade continued his very consensual sexual assault. He backhanded her again, spinning her around in the water. He immediately got behind her, grabbed her by the scruff of her neck and plunged her head underwater. She reached back and raked his arms with her talons, causing deep bloody gashes. He grunted, but otherwise kept going. She stopped struggling in an effort to save her energy since she could not breathe, and that was the opportunity he needed. He found her entrance, and welcomed himself inside with brutal force, and reckless abandon. Eventually, he pulled her head out of the water but for a moment only. Just long enough to catch a few breaths, then he plunged her back under the serene red surface of the hot water. R'ka seemed to be in ecstasy, but Kujhade was on autopilot. In his mind, he kept replaying the first time that Jasmine gave herself willingly in their shower. It seemed so long ago, when she had her legs wrapped around his middle as he pounded away. Every time they had sex, he had to hold back on aggression and strength, but the reward was great. Jasmine did not offer physical resistance of any kind at any time.

He let R'ka breath for a few seconds, then forced her head back down.

Her hands clawed at the rocky sides of the pool. He couldn't tell whether she was clawing to get out, or clawing to stay in. His mind wandered back to Jasmine. He recalled the first time she saw his trophy collection. He had been apprehensive of her reaction, but she'd surprised him. She told him that she had accepted even the hunting of her own kind, and he remembered thinking that Bakuub had been wrong about her weaknesses. Sure, she had many, but her mind and will were strong. Now, she had given him permission to mate a female whom she had bested successfully. That wasn't the Jasmine he recalled being proud of.

Breathe. Back down.

The Jasmine he wanted was the one who showered him with her human shows of affection, who kissed him when he knew nothing of such a gesture, whose mouth was so soft, who allowed him to do as he pleased with her body and welcomed it with relish. He wanted the Jasmine who had overcome a bad blood on her own, and then killed another human for also being a bad blood. He wanted the Jasmine who was possessive enough to answer the challenge of a greater foe, just to prove that he belonged to her alone.

Breathe.

Now he pushed her face into the rocks rather than the water. She was panting, grunting, hissing in pleasure from the brutal sex she was getting. Suddenly, he wanted to hear it. He wanted to hear his name panted, hear it screamed in ecstasy, but R'ka wasn't going to do that. Jasmine would have. She would have been whispering things to him that he barely understood, but it would drive him to pleasure her anyway. Her softness, her lips, her wetness, her scent….

With a loud roar, Kujhade released and then backed away from R'ka without any hesitation or lingering. He had felt her shudder in orgasm also, and so his obligation had been fulfilled. She retreated to the other side of the pool with a wan smile, and her skin flushed green. She shook her tendrils, touching the stunted ones on the side where they had been cut.

"I still owe her for drawing blood you know," she said in a taunting way. He had been about to make his way out of the pool, but stopped and turned to face her slowly.

"You lost that challenge," he said.

"Not according to what we just did. Looks like I won after all. Maybe she knows deep down in her stupid little lou-dte kale mind that she is the nothing she truly is. Maybe I will pay her a little visit and retrieve my tendrils," she said calmly.

"You will do no such thing R'ka. I warn you to tread carefully with your speech," Kujhade warned, with a low growl to punctuate his meaning. She relaxed and failed to pay heed. Kujhade's bark had always been worse than his bite when it came to her.

"Save your growling for the ooman. She is the one who doesn't have the sense to retain a strong male after fighting for him. What does that say about her Kujhade? Does she not value you, or have you wondered about that?" R'ka asked, leaning back against the side of the pool with a smug look. He thought of a retort, but decided he would not give R'ka any more ammunition. She was dancing too close, and relying too heavily on his past affections for her. Kujhade turned once again to leave, but this move only encouraged R'ka to continue.

"She's weak, and an arbitrator does not need weakness at his back, but strength. While she is busy preparing for a chiva alongside younglings, I have already proven my strength in every way. She is not the only one to have birthed pups for you either. She was not even the first to do so," she continued. Kujhade had his back turned, poised to leave, but had not yet made an exit. Perhaps, she thought, he was seeing things with sense.

"Do not speak to me about pups. You had a pup of mine which you disposed of. I know why you did so, but this is not a path you want to tread with me now," he warned again, while still giving her his back to speak to. Jasmine had demanded long ago that he was forbidden to address her while giving his back. He stifled a small smile at the memory. R'ka did not see it.

"At least I have the sense to keep the bloodlines clean. She birthed one with your same affliction, no doubt after witnessing the trouble it has brought to you. The fact that she would flaunt him as an achievement rather than a source of shame, proves the weakness of her mind. You have allowed it Kujhade. I do not like to see you reduced in this way. You should have been stern about that, instead you let it linger. Perhaps I can offer my help to you. Maybe, pay your pale pup a visit, and do to him what you have been apparently too weak to do so far," she was saying, as she lay back, arms stretched out to either side, head laid back and eyes closed.

Suddenly, there was pressure on her body pinning her against the pool, and more importantly there was a tremendous pressure on her throat where Kujhade's hand was wrapped. He'd also pinned one of her arms, and brought his face close to hers.

"You have spoken too freely, and too disrespectfully to me. I am your arbitrator and as such I could certainly find a reason to deem you a bad blood and kill you on the spot for threatening the life of an innocent pup," he growled while strangling her. Her eyes were wild. With a free hand, she tried to punch or grab, but the extreme pressure stopped her. Maybe Kujhade meant to kill her.

"My life mate is mine! She bested you and took trophies if I remember correctly. In fact, I have half a mind to bring her your head as a form of apology to her. If she is a lou-dte kale then she is a successful one. How many pups do you have alive? How many?!" He yelled, closing his fist and drawing blood where the tips of his talons had pierced her skin. She flared her mandibles in distress, and reached a hand to try and pry his from her throat.

"That is right, you birthed eight after me, only three of them survived their chivas. This does not bode well for your stock R'ka. From this day forward do not approach me, I will not mate you, do not approach my pups, and most of all do not approach my mate. Is this understood?! Blink if you understand!" Kujhade demanded. R'ka blinked her watering eyes.

Finally, he released her and she gasped for breath. He backed up, not trusting to take his eyes from her as he stepped out of the warmth of the pool. If looks could kill, Kujhade would have expired on the spot. She said nothing, but the immediate fear of being killed had left, and another feeling replaced it. Kujhade growled openly about it, not liking that she didn't seem to be properly submissive, but he didn't have time. It had been two rotations since he'd left his domicile, and Jasmine, behind. He'd spent most of his time either mating R'ka, or attending his normal arbitration duties. In his displeasure with Jasmine's decision, he had paid her very little attention, but now was the time to change that.

* * *

Who did he think he was to threaten her, and put his hands on her as if he owned her? R'ka left the basking and pool area in an outrage. She'd been caught off-guard. When did he become so aggressive towards her? He had always held back no matter what she said or did. Admittedly, she held having pups over his head and the fact that she was the only one to ever agree to even have sex at all. Now, things were different in a way that she had not anticipated. He had a mate. Regardless of how inferior, the ooman had carried two pups, and the most horrible part was that they seemed strong and healthy; like they were going to make it. It was a long way back towards the marketplace and more importantly Kujhade's quarters if indeed that's where he'd zoomed off to. It was likely, give what she'd said. Yes, it may have been a little out of line, but how else was she to make it known that if they were going to be together, the little lou-dte kale had to go, and that defective pup?

R'ka cut her way through the crowd as the streets became more populated the closer she came to the marketplace. She pushed, shoved, and grumbled her way through, and then stopped cold in her tracks. Her eyes went round at the sight of….him. She had come to Kujhade's place, perhaps making it there before he did, but the yautja she saw making his way from the landing bay was not Kujhade. How did he find her? R'ka backpedaled but kept her eyes on his approach. How long had he been here, and why would he show up while the mating season was still going on? She chuffed to herself. She knew exactly why, but she'd come to Yaut Prime to avoid him, not confront him.

Thwei Nihkou'te, or loosely translated Bloody Teeth or Blood Tusks, so named for his propensity to bite his prey, glided through the milling crowd. Mating season was in full bloom and the scent hung heavily in the air. It invigorated him. It had been a long time since he had come back to the home planet, but his intel alerted him that R'ka, had come here. Perhaps she thought she could avoid him by coming here. No matter the case, he was here, he would find her, and he would impregnate her. He would also enjoy every moment of it. The thought crossed his mind that she might already be pregnant, but he dismissed it. If she was stupid enough to think that becoming pregnant would relieve her of an honor-based contract, she was sorely mistaken. She would be allowed to bear and rear the pup, but she would be enslaved to him during that time. As soon as she could bear another, she would be allowed to mate only him.

He stood an even 8'0". His shoulders were very broad, as the rest of him. His dreads were long and grey, spilling down his back along the blood red cape he wore, which flowed regally behind him. Some of the females saw him and begin to growl and mewl under their breath. He was older but highly desired. Thwei Nihkou'te was an accomplished hunter, had served as a huntmaster for many cycles, and was the undisputed leader of a very large clan. His many belts and much of his sparse armor, were adorned in skulls of nearly every description, including several human jawbones which served as the linking clasps for the cape circling loosely around his shoulders and neck. He spotted R'ka who seemed to believe she hadn't been seen. He watched from his peripheral vision as she backed away, but kept him in her sights. If she wanted to be hunted and conquered, then he would oblige. He meandered her way, walking slowly and taking in the mixture of various scents, until he caught one which was altogether intriguing and somewhat familiar.

He stopped and did a slow 360° turn, taking off his mask to get a more natural sense of things. There it was again. This time he zeroed in on it, and from across the marketplace, coming from the direction of the kehrite, was the owner of the scent. Thwei rumbled to himself. It was a human scent, specifically a female human, but how? How could a human be here? There was only one human he believed worthy enough to have made their way to Yaut Prime. Otherwise, they were a slave or merely used as a hard meat host, for trial or study. He found himself walking slowly towards her. She was unaware she was being watched so closely, as she seemed to be carrying some equipment. Most likely running some errand for her master, but if she was who he thought she was, she should not have been enslaved.

Ever since that chiva done on one of the cold regions of the blue planet, he had found himself thinking of her. He did not know her name, but she had fought alongside his pup, and even helped kill a queen. His pup thought it prudent to mark her with the symbol of his clan, and after having watched the chiva from start to finish, Thwei could hardly argue with the assessment. There was certainly an undeniable warrior spirit in the woman, and even under fear she managed to think long enough to fight and survive. Thwei had given her one of his most prized weapons as a token of mutual understanding, but over time it had become a little more than that. More and more, he found himself wondering just what kind of mate she would make. It was obvious that his son, whom the humans strangely referred to as Scar, had intended to mate her even if just once. Thwei himself had never mated a human, had never even considered the possibility or a reason, until after having met the female that night. If this was her, if she had somehow found herself here and a captive, he would pay a small ransom for her, and he would have her. Maybe that was the mating season talking, but Thwei didn't rely on that. He'd been thinking of that very thing off and on for a while, but now there may be the opportunity. As he got closer, the small female looked around as if feeling his gaze settling upon her, and finally she made eye contact. She held it for a moment, and then wisely dropped her eyes before he could warn her about it. He splayed his mandibles and took another whiff of her scent. It was heady, musky, feminine, fertile, and very inviting. He stepped closer, and was a little disappointed. This was not her. This was not _his_ human. As he looked her over, he found that she did not bear the hallmark of slavery, but the mark of a mate; a life-mate. The implications of that played through his mind immediately, but he quieted them for now. He simply stood, regarding her, his gaze rooting her to the spot.

Jasmine watched this new male warily. He'd come from nowhere and now he was towering over her, and gazing at her like a long-lost lover. He approached her as if he knew her, but then stopped and took a whiff of her scent. Jasmine was a little embarrassed. She wished he hadn't done that, since she'd just come from weapons and hand-to-hand combat training in the kehrite. She was beyond ripe, but then remembered where she was. These guys actually liked that kind of shit. She probably smelled like something out of Bath and Body Works to this guy. Mentally, she calculated the distance between this big behemoth and her house, but she was too tired to even give it a go. Besides, they liked it when you ran away so they could have the simple thrill of chasing, and with this being mating season, Jasmine wasn't willing to risk sending any mixed signals. Her arms were sore from training, and every muscle sang a very painful song. She could hear her twins running up from behind her. They'd gotten away from Lijia again, but Jasmine didn't turn around. She simply stood and waited to see where this was going.

The large male took a step forward and then his jaw dropped at the sight of two younglings running up to this human, and calling her…. bearer? He watched as she grabbed them up, never taking her eyes off of him, as she put down her gear and wrapped protective arms around them. He still stood there, gawking. Jasmine continued to assess him, and then sighed to herself. This was kind of funny actually. Having been a prostitute, it behooved Jasmine to be able to make an instant judgement call on the type of john who approached her. There were all types, some harmless, and some not, but she thought she'd figured this one out already. She'd run into the predator version of the older rich guy, who kept himself in shape, and who still looked good for his age. He exercised intensely, ate right, and because of that he was more sexually virile than you assumed, and because he looked good and had money, young beautiful women were not outside his grasp. This yautja was as close to debonair as she thought they could come, and he had clearly taken some interest. She tossed her hair back to return the attention to Kujhade's bite mark sitting prominently on her shoulder. Thwei acknowledged it, and stepped back two paces. It was enough to allow her to pass without harassment, but close enough to let her know that his interest was still piqued. Without hesitation, but also keeping a watchful eye, Jasmine put the boys down, picked up her gear, and began to walk. The boys kept in close, and they were also watching this male with fascination. She knew they wanted to touch his trophies and belts since they were in the let-me-have-this-so-I-can-put-it-in-my-mouth-stage, but she didn't even let them ask. As she passed him by, Lijia fell in behind her, and pressed Jasmine along. The big male rumbled loud enough for Jasmine to hear, but it was better to ignore it. She now had a million questions to ask, but she knew better than to engage him, what with mating season and all. Any friendly engagement on her part would do nothing but encourage him, so she allowed Lijia to hurry her inside.

"What the hell was that all about?" Jasmine asked when the door closed behind them a few minutes later. She turned to see Lijia with a strange look on her face. Was she blushing?

"That was Thwei Nihkou'te, an elder and a big clan leader, and I think he wants to mate with you."

* * *

 **A/N: Ahh, so what do we think of Kujhade's line of logic? Is Mar'cte right to call him to the carpet? Does R'ka have a good argument against Jasmine and her rather ill-fated decision? Now we've got a new player in the game perhaps. A one Mr. Thwei Nihkou'te seems rather interested. We're familiar with him. I'm thinking of the elder predator from AVP, who gives Lex his weapon. I liked him instantly, so decided to give him a name, and took the liberty of making Scar his son. Just seemed like Scar was more than a run-of-the-mill youngblood, and I always got the feeling the elder was his father or some close family member. Anyway, I need to get cracking with my writing, because my head start is dwindling down. Hope you enjoyed, and thanks for all the reviews, faves, likes, etc.**


	9. Lost and Turned Out

His heart was still hammering in his chest. He was absolutely livid about what R'ka had said about Jasmine, and his pups. How dare she threaten Mili?! He had already gone over that whole business, and there was no more discussion to be had about it. Mili was not going to be harmed, and no matter how many pups Jasmine birthed with the same issue, they would also not be harmed. At first, despite being disappointed in the way it had come about, Kujhade had looked forward to mating and possibly impregnating R'ka. He would not tolerate any of this pups to be slaughtered without good reason, so he wasn't too concerned with that. Now, he wasn't so happy at the prospect of pups with her. She had not meant to become an addition to the clan or a second mate, but she meant to replace his mate altogether! He chuffed to himself in irritation. He never told her that! He never even insinuated that he would leave Jasmine at any time, and the fact that R'ka had assumed that it was a foregone conclusion that he would angered him. Not to mention getting rid of her more than likely meant killing her in some type of death match, and he was _not_ going to allow that! A harmless mating challenge was one thing, and even that had threatened to go too far. Not only had she threatened his pup, she had outright threatened Jasmine in his face. Mar'cte's words of warning rang in his head. Just before leaving the area, he told him that R'ka wouldn't have minded hurting Jasmine. He said something else too hadn't he? Mar'cte warned that she wanted something from this, and it was most certainly not an albino pup. That further extended to not really wanting _him_ either.

Kujhade shook his head, and clicked furiously to himself. He was headed towards his home, but he didn't need to show up there in his current state of mind. He was too angry, and for the first time in his adult life, he was very confused. He turned towards the landing bay to his clan ship. There he could busy himself, and clear his mind without leaving for a hunt. He could do for killing something with his bare hands, but his intuition told him that leaving at this time wouldn't be a smart thing to do. R'ka had threatened his family, and he should be there, but in his heart he didn't think R'ka would be so stupid as to try something right now. He brushed his way past a few light crowds, absorbed in his own thoughts.

Confusion. It was a foreign feeling and he didn't like it one bit. Everything was always so clear cut. Hunting was clear. He went in, he was careful, he never underestimated his prey, and he survived each time. His duties as arbitrator were clear. He had to uphold the strict codes of honor, and monitor to make sure the not-so-strict ones didn't get out of hand. His duties as a sire were clear as well. He was to teach his younglings the ways of the hunt and of honor. To make sure that he did everything in his power to ensure their survival. Last of all, being a life-mate was clear. Or at least it had been before R'ka sauntered back into his life. This was where the confusion was coming from. What exactly was his duty as a life mate? He'd taken the oaths, but through a decision that he did not understand, Jasmine had allowed him to forego the oath of exclusively giving his seed to her alone. As she sat there trying to explain it, he was filled with a wild mix of emotions and thoughts. What was she trying to do? Did she not value his seed? Was she not satisfied with him for some reason, and therefore sought to give him away? Push him away was more like it. She'd pushed him right into the arms of a female who had not earned the consideration. So, if that was the case, why did he take up on the offer? It was very simple. He wanted to. From the moment she walked up alongside him, he knew he wanted to. He'd nearly forgotten about her, the only yautja female who still would even theoretically consider mating him. He'd all but written her off over the years, and especially over the last two. Jasmine had taken her place in a big way, in all the ways that mattered. R'ka was the last female he thought he'd ever see on Yaut Prime, but once she showed up, all the old feelings, the old desires came rushing back. He could handle that. He had a life mate now, one who always had sex when he wanted, who had children for him, who had abandoned all hope of returning to her home planet, but rarely burdened him with any sorrow over the fact.

That day, he was hoping R'ka would make an exit but he knew better. She had insisted on meeting his mate, a move he should have anticipated, but when she challenged Jasmine, he felt uneasy about it all. As Mar'cte pointed out, he should have blocked such a challenge. It would have spared him his current anguish if nothing else, but it also would have proved to himself that he was over R'ka. Done with her. Instead, he let it play out against all his better instincts and intuitions. R'ka felt free to do as she wished, and she felt that way because he had never given her cause to think anything else. Since they were younger, R'ka had always been brash and bold where it concerned him. She was not always willing to mate him herself, but she also did not like the idea of other females in her vicinity trying to do the same. This always provided him with a sense of belonging, of being desired. When no one else did, R'ka was always willing to pay attention to him, and until this day, he believed that was a good thing. Yes, she was callous, calculating, but those traits made her a good hunter and a worthy clan leader. It was R'ka who taught him many of the subtleties of the hunt to make it more successful. Her small lessons had saved his life on hunts he would later partake in. Over the many cycles, she had proven to be his friend. He had to admit, that many times she played a game with him by using his feelings for her, but that had been alright hadn't it? Better that someone thought enough of him to even do that much, and in a way he felt he owed her some part of him. He owed her some attention, maybe even owed her sex. All in all, he had gotten his wish but now what was the cost of that? This was the first time that she'd had any real competition for his time and attentions, and she did what R'ka ; claimed him for herself. The only problem with that, was that he was no longer hers. Not only did he have a mate, he had a life mate and pups as well for her to contend with. The other problem? She was contending with it, and she was doing so in the only way that a female of his species would or could; kill all the competition after ensuring that the fight was worth it.

This was a big reason why it was important for Jasmine to step up to the challenge, and she did it masterfully. She was aggressive, she wasn't afraid, and most importantly she won. Had she left it at that, he would have had no choice but to continue to rebuff R'ka, and with his oath to keep him in check, this would have been simple. Now, it was anything but simple. Under any other circumstances, he would solve the issue by simply having both of them, but R'ka was not content to share. He shook his head again. No, he was still not being completely honest with himself. There was another part of it, one that seemed to chafe against his honor although strictly speaking he hadn't done anything to contravene it. This other part of him wanted Jasmine to lose the challenge. If she had lost, without being killed of course, then he could have R'ka under the dictates of the honor and challenge code. Jasmine would not have felt threatened in her position as his life mate, and he could have R'ka and be done with her after the mating season concluded.

He finally reached the clan ship and went inside. At once he felt calmer. This was his real home. This is where he belonged, where they all belonged. He went to his armory to check his supply stock and condition. He took inventory, made a small list of things that needed to be replaced, and then went to his trophy room. He looked around, then sat at the long table in the middle of the room. He grabbed a neglected skull that he hadn't got around to polishing and set to work. Soon he was absorbed, clicking contentedly to himself, but his mind was still racing and trying to navigate this minefield of new and conflicting emotion. He supposed he should start at the beginning. What was the beginning? After a moment of thought, Kujhade supposed the beginning would be the answer to the question; who was Jasmine to him? He paused. The answer had not come as quickly as he thought it would. Had it been as Mar'cte accused? Was Jasmine in essence some lou-dte kale, there only to bear the pups he could not otherwise have? That was the intention at the start of all this. He had procured her like a living trophy, and he intended to only deal with her in a way amicable enough to mate her without forcing her. That was where it all changed. If he wanted only pups, he should have forced her. After all, she would not have had a choice in the matter, but something inside him, even then, wanted more than that. He not only wanted the pups he was sure she could give, he wanted _her._ He wanted her. The question was now, did he still want her. In his mind and heart, there was a resounding YES! Sure, he was disappointed by her latest action, but couldn't that be forgiven? Furthermore, hadn't he had a hand in the situation and perhaps its outcome? He thought it highly likely that he did.

Through not taking any decisive action, he had encouraged this outcome. He did not take action to stop R'ka from making the challenge. He did not take action to stop Jasmine from attending the mating ritual. There was one last piece of inaction also, one that was critical to all of this. As much as he would have liked to blame Jasmine and even R'ka for this quandary, he could have simply told Jasmine no when she offered to release him from his oath. Instead, he told her how he wanted to mate R'ka and would do so instantly had he the chance. In retrospect, that might have been the time to come forward about his love for Jasmine. He'd told the truth, but he'd picked the wrong truth to tell. But, if things had gone another way, if Jasmine had not given permission, what then? Would he have gone against his life mating oath? No, of course not, but he would have tried to manipulate things more to his liking. He would have tried to force Jasmine to give him permission to mate another without telling her who. That was the deceitful part. That was the part that besmirched his honor. He thought of deceiving her, manipulating her like some sort of bad blood. If she had never gone to that mating ritual, then he could have gone by himself. He could have tested the waters to see if there were any other females interested in him. It was a perfectly natural inclination, so why did he not feel good about it? Probably because he would have been sneaking, hiding his real intent from his mate. This was not the behavior or an honored hunter, or an arbitrator such as himself.

It came to him, that it was as Mar'cte had assumed. Ever since they arrived on Yaut Prime, Kujhade had become less and less communicative, figuring Jasmine would catch on by herself. He noticed over time that she was incredibly observant, and wished to comply with his cultural norms and rules of engagement. Without noticing it, he had become complacent in her ability to adapt without his step-by-step guidance. He had become complacent in a great many things when it came to Jasmine. He assumed that she would not ever leave him, in fact, she couldn't leave could she? Where was she going to go, and with whom? Kujhade was comfortable in her love for him because she expressed it at every opportunity. He was comfortable in her mothering, and her love for the pups. He just assumed that things would continue much as they had been without much change. He just assumed that Jasmine would always be who she was, act how she acted, said what she said, and that as long as he expressed his feelings in the way he assumed she could only understand (sex), that she would always be the same. He stopped tending to the skull, which had become impeccably polished under his skilled hands. He got up and went out to the ship's bridge. Turning on the online system, he retrieved footage he hadn't looked at since he recorded it. He didn't recall why he felt the need to document it, but now he was glad that he had.

On the large digital screen before him, Jasmine bloomed to life in all her virtual glory. She was wondering starry-eyed around his trophy room, admiring it. She stopped at the human skulls, and after contemplating them, she bowed reverently before taking his hand and leaving the area. He paused the feed. When was the last time he had done that; taken her by the hand and led her around someplace? His hand flexed instinctively. He flipped to another piece of footage. This was of their very first time having sex. He remembered it vividly. It was the first time she'd straddled him and that was a big reason why it was his favorite position with her. He recalled how apprehensive he was about scaring her off, but she had surprised him yet again. She made him feel like he had never felt before. Jasmine had accepted him, and the next morning she had even called him beautiful. He fast-forwarded to another section of the feed. This one was probably the most wonderful of all. It was of Jasmine pacing back and forth in labor. She sat in his captain's chair, rubbing her belly. The next piece was of her lying in the medical bay, breastfeeding the younglings and soothing them. She never shunned them, or treated them ill. She had been a much better bearer to them, than his had been to him. He couldn't imagine Jasmine ever abandoning them, or putting them in harm's way.

Kujhade watched the footage for a long time, slowing it down the hear the sound. Jasmine seemed to do something he somehow missed. Every night she would rock the younglings to sleep, and she would talk to them. She told them how much she loved them, and how much their sire loved them as well. The last image was of her gazing at Kujhade himself as she lay next to him in their bed. He cut the feed and stood in the contemplative silence of the empty ship. His mind turned to R'ka when they were young. Even before he was eligible to mate anyone, he'd wanted her. He made up in his mind that he would have her, and of all the pups she would bear, the majority of them would be his. One day, when they had gotten older and survived so many hunts, he would life-mate her. Back then, he'd pinned all his hopes of siring offspring on her, but it had all come crashing down around him. Logically, he understood the risk and the culture, but it hadn't hit him until that next mating season when he came back to the home planet to see his second youngling. Only there was no second pup. At the time, he thought nothing of the nonchalant way she'd dismissed the whole affair, but time had passed now. Now, when he thought back on her behavior it seemed familiar, but cold. She was acting as his bearer must have acted when his sire came asking about him. Kujhade never spent time with those thoughts because it served no purpose. The past could not be changed, but that didn't mean it needed to be repeated. He had been confident just a day ago that if R'ka were to become pregnant, that he could protect his pup's life if he needed to, but upon reflection, this was a foolish notion. He would no more be able to prevent it a second time, than he could the first.

It was then that Kujhade hung his head. He had broken no law, but he'd acted dishonorably in any case. There was no footage, but now he recalled his angry words to Bakuub when the elder refused to grant permission to perform the life-mating ceremony.

"… _.my choice is Jasmine, a human, a member of a species of prey that all of us hunt. I will mate with her and no one else, and I do not need your consent, nor that of the council to make that choice,"_

What happened to that conviction? He remembered feeling betrayed by the females of his species, now he had allowed himself to be deluded into believing that somehow that had all changed. Aside from R'ka, there was no other yautja female asking about nor showing any interest in him. It was R'ka who mentioned the possibility of other females having interest based on his good standing with the Matriarch. That got him thinking, and that was also the underlying reason for wanting to explore the mating ritual alone. It hadn't occurred to him until just now, that Jasmine being a female, may have somehow intuited his plans. He thought back now on her explanation. At the time she was offering it, he was too taken aback and angered to really hear it. He heard only two things; I don't want you, and go mate R'ka. One he didn't want to hear, and the other one he didn't mind. However, sitting here alone he had time to reflect. Was that what she said? He thought maybe he ought to listen again since he had calmed down. Kujhade brought up the audio of her from that night. He listened. He went back and played it again, then a third time. She opened with how much she loved him. She told him that this was to make him happy somehow. So, she _had_ felt his unspoken desire. He was shamefaced. Not only had he intended to in some way manipulate the situation to his perceived advantage, but Jasmine had figured it out somehow, and decided to grant him the thing she thought he wanted most. This thing, was R'ka. The most horrid part of all, was that he had been so laser focused, so single-minded about the whole affair, that he had not given a consideration to other implications. For instance, what would happen if he did impregnate R'ka? The pup would be welcome, but he wouldn't have been able to leave it in her care. He would have had to rely on Jasmine to rear it, and even among his kind that was a no-no unless under dire circumstances. It took too much time and energy to rear pups, and most females did not burden others with the task. Only clan sisters took up the responsibility when the original bearer for some reason could not. Jasmine and R'ka were _not_ clan sisters, and now they never would be. Furthermore, R'ka had misled him in a way. She had manipulated the situation to her favor, and in his desire to finally be wanted, he did not see it for what it was. Jasmine had been caught in the middle, and he had let it happen. It was really as Mar'cte pointed out. The cost may just be too high. To make matters worse, he had left her for two whole rotations, and anything could be happening. Once again, he'd left in a precarious predicament. It was mating season on the home planet, and if he remained absent too long other males would believe Jasmine to be free pickings.

With this thought in mind, he straightened out his trophy room, took the ship back offline, and headed home. First, he would stop at the market. Perhaps he would get something for the pups, and if he could find it, maybe something Jasmine might like. When he emerged from the ship, he was pleased to find that only a few hours had passed. The sun was declining but not set. Kujhade headed towards his home, and hopefully he would find Jasmine there and in a good mood.

* * *

"Is he still out there?" Jasmine asked, as both her and Lijia were peeking out of the window.

"No, he's gone now," Lijia said, as she backed away from the large pane glass.

"Why would he pick me out of the crowd?" Jasmine asked Lijia.

"You're pretty much the only human here, unless someone has a servant. He seemed to think he knew you," Lijia said.

"Well, I don't know who he is. I'm glad he's gone. I wouldn't know what to really do if he had asked to, you know, have sex with me," Jasmine said, as she went over to break up her fighting boys.

"Stop it you two," she demanded. Yeyinde was going to pipe up about the fact that Mili had started the fight, but then swallowed his complaint at her look. As soon as she turned her back, Yeyinde hit Mili, and the fight started all over again. Jasmine and Lijia rolled their eyes, then promptly ignored the toddler scuffle.

"I am going to leave now sister. I will see you at the next training. After that, I will take you to one of our laboratories. You need to see a kiande amedha up close. It will be dead, but you need to see them up close," Lijia said, turning to leave.

"Okay, see you tomorrow," Jasmine said, seeing her out. She stood in the doorway watching Lijia leave. Jasmine looked around, subconsciously looking for Kujhade, but she didn't see him.

She went back in and got the twins together for their bath, which was a task since they were still fighting. Finally, she got them into the tub, happily playing with their Xenomorph toy which they never put down.

"Come on, time to take a nap you guys," she said placing them into their bed pit.

"Mama, where dada? Where dada?" Mili asked. Yeyinde piped up alongside, and their expectant upturned faces made her heart ache for them. She rubbed their heads, and laughed, trying to convey that it wasn't a big deal.

"Daddy is just working baby, but daddy loves you. He'll be back soon okay?" She said, lying through her teeth, but what else was she going to say? 'Oh daddy's out fucking some random ass broad, and mommy let him do it?!'

"Kay mama. Luh you mama, kiss!" Mili said, hopping up into her arms and placing his mouth on hers. Yeyinde joined in directly after, jostling with his brother for position on their mother's lap. She grabbed up both of them, and gave them a big hug.

"Mommy loves her babies forever," she told them as she smothered them in kisses all over their faces and heads.

"Mommy loves Mili, and mommy loves Yinde," she said kissing each once again. Satisfied, they climbed back down into their bed, clutching their toy, and lying down. She petted them a few minutes more, before getting up and taking her own shower.

Jasmine washed herself but couldn't help thinking about Kujhade. It had been two days since he walked out, smelling like R'ka and walking away with her. She was pissed, and hurt, but couldn't deny that she missed him sorely. The last two days had been difficult, and she wanted his input on her trainings. Inevitably, every time she thought about Kujhade, thoughts of R'ka came up unbidden. She thought about sleeping with him, and making love to him, and it was always soured by the thought that he was giving that to some other female. With a sigh, Jasmine finally turned off the water, grabbed a thick towel and came out of the bathing area. Her breath caught in her throat. Kujhade was standing in the doorway, and the babies were all over him. He stood there cuddling them, all three of them purring, and both the boys vying for his attention. Propped against the wall next to the door was some sort of large panel. As she watched, he handed the boys something to play with. It appeared to be some kind of toy weapons, and the boys clicked their approval and excitement. Jasmine watched, her heart melting at the sight of how attentive he was being towards them. He was a good dad, and it made her think briefly of her own father. She smiled a little. She had to admit, she really missed him even if she was still feeling the sting of her own stupid decision.

Jasmine leaned against the wall and just watched. Soon, he placed them back into the pit, and they were babbling excitedly to one another and playing with their toys. He stood straight up and looked across the room at his life mate. She was standing there wrapped in a towel. He tried to form words, and found that it was difficult yet again to say what he was thinking in his mind. Yes, she had given him permission to mate another female, but now that he was back in her presence, he couldn't understand how he had left off a full two rotations without having her near him. He was about to say something when her body language changed dramatically. Her heart rate sped up, and she became anxious.

"Kujhade, are you alright?" She said with concern. She came over to him looking at the fresh scars on his arms.

"Were you on a hunt? You got hurt, let me help you," Jasmine said, reaching for his arms. They weren't bleeding anymore, but they were raised welts. He usually allowed her to help tend any wounds, but this time he curiously moved his arms away.

"Not a hunt," he said and left it at that.

"Oh, well what happened…." It stopped her cold. His musk, mixed with R'ka. It wasn't as strong as it was before, but it was definitely there. All her concern went out the door, and anger took its place. Jasmine stepped back and folded her arms across her chest.

"Tell me one thing Kujhade. What is that bitch's name? Is her name R'ka, or Chanel No.5?" Jasmine asked angrily. Kujhade didn't know what a Chanel No.5 was, but he thought he should answer the question truthfully.

"Her name is R'ka," he said, not knowing where this question had come from.

"So, why in the fuck are you wearing that bitch's scent like a fucking perfume?! Didn't I tell you not to come in here smelling like you just crawled out of the depths of that bitch pussy?!" Jasmine screamed, getting angrier the more he stood there dumbfounded.

"I asked you one thing, ONE THING not to do, and you can't even do it! I told you don't come in here smelling like her two damn days ago and here you come waltzing in here wearing her! Rubbing it in my face Kujhade!" Jasmine yelled, as she poked him in the chest after each word. The fury in her voice made her children go silent. Stunned, Kujhade still had yet to say anything.

Indeed, Jasmine had mentioned it and he had dismissed her about it. It had been hours ago since mating R'ka, but why this small thing should upset her so further confused him. The fact that not too long ago he had been completely turned off by the way that Lijia used to be covered in Mar'cte's scent while she flirted with him, didn't occur to him. Not to mention, it derailed his entire intent for coming back. He didn't understand all the words she was using, but it was bringing up all the things that had been brewing for both of them since she'd made this ridiculous decision.

"You did this, and now you complain?! You are the one who sent me away, who sent me to some other female who lost a challenge to you!" He yelled back, angry that she was arguing rather than listening.

"Oh, like you didn't wanna fuck her, you said yourself you did!" She shot back.

"Yes, I did!"

"…."

"You left me behind Kujhade! You've been gone and you haven't even come to check on me, to check on the boys! I know I don't mean anything, that I'm not good enough for you because I'm just a human, but you didn't have to do it like that. You didn't have to make me feel so bad about it!" Jasmine was screaming in his face.

"You should feel bad about it. You should feel….. you should feel," he was frustrated again. He had many things to tell Jasmine, things he thought would reassure her of her position, but how to let her know? How to tell her that it was foolish of her to believe that his feelings for her had changed because of R'ka?

"What the fuck should I feel? Huh? You tell me oh great predator Kujhade, just what the FUCK I should be feeling, because I don't know! The little stupid human bitch doesn't even know how to feel, so big bad Kujhade's gotta tell her! Tell me what to feel," she said, putting her hands on her hips, and tapping her foot impatiently.

His green eyes bored into her own, and his tusks clicked slowly. She could see him thinking about his next words. The wheels were turning furiously in his mind, and the swirling emotions so familiar to her, threatened to transform into a cyclone and whisk them both away.

He desperately wished he had a better understanding of female human emotions. He did have a basic understanding that she was upset with him, and it centered around his mating of another female, but it was also something more than that. She used the term 'rubbing it in'. He supposed he had been doing that, but that also did not seem to be the most important part. Maybe he should tell her how it made him feel? There was only one real word that summed it all up, and he would speak it to her now.

"Rejected," he said. This was it. Now she would understand and come around a little. A long moment passed, and now it was his turn to wonder about what was going through her mind. A tear slid down Jasmine's cheek. She heard him loud and clear; rejected. She should feel rejected.

"I can't believe you just said that to me Kujhade," she said quietly. "After all we've been through, I can't believe it. I should feel rejected, after having two kids, and tagging along behind you, and fighting, and hunting, and," she took a deep shuddering breath.

"All those times you held me, and made love to me, and told me that you would never betray me, that we were a clan for life, that I was yours for life, now I'm rejected. One woman comes around and shows interest, after they turned their back on you, and now I'm rejected. I understand clearly. I was good enough when there was no other, but now since I guess she wants you, I'm the rejected one," she said stepping back and looking him in the eyes again.

No, she had it all wrong! He had to make her see it. He reached for her, to grab her by the shoulders. He came close, drawing her into him. Whenever he was at a loss for words, he could always have sex with her. It was in that act, where he could give her the reassurance she seemed to need, and it would also do the same for him. To have her open herself to him, would bring solace to his heart and peace to his mind, but she squirmed out of his embrace with a huff.

"That's not gonna work this time. Dick only works when you're respecting me and not rejecting me," she said flatly.

"Not you Jasmine," he tried again, but his words failed him for the millionth time.

"I know, not me. You know what Kujhade, all this inability to talk to me is also bullshit. Just like you expect me to just know shit since we been on this funky ass planet, I expect you to know shit too. You can do better than this, so when you can figure out how to talk to me, and how to show me that you want to be with me, _if_ you wanna be with me cause you just told me I was rejected, then we can have a conversation. Until that time, I think you need to visit with the kids for a while because they miss you, and then I think you should go. Go be with R'ka since you love her so much and since you two can understand each other so fucking well," she said and turned away to get dressed. He purred a little and reached out to her, grabbing her by the elbow.

"Let me go I said," as she snatched her arm from his grip.

"I told you that shit not working with me today. You don't get to come in here and fuck me, and think everything supposed to go back the way it was. You gonna have to do better than that, or you can just leave me alone for good Kujhade. I could have done this baby mama shit on Earth, I don't need this kind of shit. I thought you loved me, but that was stupid wasn't it? I was stupid to believe that. I was stupid to believe that you, or any other man anywhere could ever actually love me, and not use me. I was stupid to think you loved me, you know why? Cause you never ever even said that shit to me. You had my stupid ass thinking it was wrong to even want you to say it, and you let it ride like that. You know what, I can't look at your face right now. You gotta go Kujhade, and take the babies with you cause I got this chiva coming up, and I can't deal with all this bullshit right now, I just can't do it," Jasmine said, her voice even and full of pain and heartache.

Kujhade just stood there, waiting. Waiting on her to cry so he could comfort her, waiting on her to fight so he could restrain her, but she did neither. This was new. She was just standing there looking at him with an expression he had never seen. This hadn't gone at all how he planned. He planned on telling her exactly how he felt about her, how he intended on making some changes to how he was approaching things, and now she was too angry to listen. He could have forced her to listen, or at least he could have held her in one spot, but what good would that do him now? Patience. He would have patience like he did when he hunted fierce prey. Everything went back to hunt when it was all said and done. Kujhade stepped back and went to grab the large wall sized panel he'd brought into the house. The twins had stopped playing amid the tension, and when Jasmine looked at them she felt terrible. She went to them and grabbed them up. They clung to her and started a timid sort of purring, as if they were not quite sure how she would react.

"Mommy is so sorry for yelling in front of you like that, and scaring you," she said kissing and petting them.

That was all it took. They purred strongly then, and waited to be kissed some more. She of course obliged, and then set them back down to play. Meanwhile, Kujhade was putting the panel up like a second wall. It was a rough material, akin to corkboard, and all he had to do was bang along all the sides and lower edge to install it. Once it was up, Yeyinde and Mili made a beeline and did something which shouldn't have surprised Jasmine. They took a running start, leaped, then stuck to the wall with their claws. They crawled on it to the top which was nearly a twelve foot ceiling, and then they crawled back down and jumped to the floor. They each looked at their parents and gave a very impressive roar, then jumped back on the wall to repeat the process. Jasmine watched the twins and she also watched Kujhade, who was giving her sidelong glances.

"I guess I should say thank you. They try to climb everything but I didn't wanna risk taking them into the woods," she said. She was royally pissed off, but she still had manners. He nodded.

"Teach them to climb, hone the skill. You should also climb it. It will help you in the hunt, a vital skill," he said. He wanted to believe that the tension was easing a little, but Jasmine cleared that misconception.

"I don't wanna hear all that damn talking out of you. You can explain that clear as a bell but you can't tell me how you feel about me, oh wait. I'm rejected. I got that word right didn't I?" she asked. He chuffed in clear irritation.

"Jasmine, you are not rejected. You rejected me. You sent me to another female. You rejected me," he finally was able to clarify.

"Are you kidding me right now? I rejected you? How?" She asked. She took a seat and waited for his reply.

"You won the challenge Jasmine. That was good enough. You fought to keep me. I simply do not understand why you would give me to another female, unless you were displeased with me in some way," he said. Finally, he was able to communicate some of what he was thinking. At least this time she did not raise her voice or become angrier in her response.

"You didn't hear what I said before Kujhade? I knew for a fact that you wanted a yautja female. It seemed like not too long after we got here, you started ignoring me a little. You were here, but whenever I asked questions you were annoyed. I asked you to train me for my chiva and you flatly refused that. Now, I love Dteinou, that's my girl, but I would have at least liked you to have input. I let that go because I knew you had other duties and stuff, but it just kept getting worse. Every time I tried to talk to you, you wanted to have sex. At first that was okay, but at the same time it was getting to me because I started to feel like it was a way to shut me up and not deal with me," she said. She had more, but first she needed to know that he'd processed what she said.

Kujhade heard it, but he had a different perspective of things. The sex was the reassurance in his eyes, but apparently it hadn't been working the way it should have. She was looking at him and expecting him to reply.

"I wanted R'ka, but also I want you Jasmine," he said simply.

"Is she pregnant?"

"I don't know"

"Do you want her to be pregnant?"

"Not anymore."

Jasmine was inwardly relieved.

"Was it easy to make your decision to give me to her?" He had to know that. The answer was vital for his own state of mind.

"It was one of the hardest things I have ever done. I love you so much Kujhade. I don't think you can even really understand how much you mean to me. To do that, it was only because I love you. You had one chance to have a woman of your choice, and not a second place woman like me. I didn't think it was fair to stop you. I wish I could take it back, but I can't. It's blown up in my face in so many ways. I never expected to find out that I didn't mean as much to you as I thought I did," she said, finally getting up to gather some things for the boys.

He couldn't go touch her because she would think he was trying to mate, and she didn't want to do that. He still wanted to hold her at least. He moved towards her, touching her before she had a chance to move away. He grabbed her, turned her around, and looked into her eyes. She screwed her face up and tried to struggle out of his arms.

"I told you we're not fucking!" She said before a large hand covered her mouth. He wrapped his arm around her middle and held her there.

"Not fucking," he said in English. He pulled her in tightly. Jasmine was pinned. She didn't want to be held, and she certainly didn't want to constantly breathe in R'ka. However, since there was no way for her to move, she simply stood there with her arms at her sides, and her head against his chest. Maybe he was trying, but he'd have to still do more than this. It didn't change anything, at least not yet. She watched her children climbing high up on the wall. It was a nice gift, one that she would not have thought to get for them. Usually, this gesture would break her all the way down, but that was when she was secure and convinced of how he felt. There were question marks where there used to be exclamation points, and she couldn't melt into him like she might have wanted. Her body was begging her, but that was just physical attraction trying to work against her. Her feelings for him hadn't changed. She still loved him more than she had loved anyone in her life. The thought of being without him still frightened her down to her core, but she had to take a stand. It was now beyond the fact that he had screwed some other woman. She was prepared for _that_ pain, and she could have dealt with it stunningly as long as she was assured that his love for her would not waiver.

Long moments passed. He held her and tried his best not to make any sexual moves. Jasmine had not embraced him when usually by this time she would have. He thought maybe this time she was angrier than she had ever been with him. Perhaps, he should present her with the gift he'd gotten for her. While still holding her to him, he reached into a small pocket on his side. He pulled away just enough to bring it in front of her.

"For you Jasmine," he said, and opened the small leather-bound box. Inside was a bracelet, which was large enough to be a necklace for her. It was created of three, rectangular shaped, shiny obsidian bone. Between the large flat rectangular pieces, were small green crystals beads. It was breathtaking to look at. In fact, it was one of the most beautiful pieces of jewelry she'd seen here, and quite honestly she didn't think they could make anything like this.

With a very delicate touch, he took the necklace and placed it over her head. Even he had to admit she looked stunning in it. It played nicely off the color of her skin, and contrasted with all the scars and bruising. Jasmine touched a slender finger to it, enjoying the smooth feel. Then slowly, she took it off and handed it back to him. When she looked into his eyes, hers were shiny with unshed tears, and his were round with some emotion that seemed close to fear.

"I don't think I should take this right now. If you give me a gift and I accept it, that means that I have forgiven you and all is well. That's not how I feel in my heart Kujhade. I feel like I need time to think about where this relationship is going, and to be completely honest, you need time to think as well. You said you wanted both me and R'ka. I can't do that. I thought I could, but that was before all the disrespect from both you and her, and that was also before I felt like I… like I was nothing more than a baby-maker. Like I was the last choice because nobody else wanted you," she said, holding back her tears. She refused to start weeping and sobbing like a pathetic little girl. He didn't deserve her tears like he didn't deserve her affection.

"Not second Jasmine; first. My mate, my life-mate," Kujhade said, his voice taking on a tremulous quality. He clicked in a nervous manner, as he gripped her a little tighter.

"We'll see about that Kujhade. For now, here are the boy's things. Take them with you, I need a couple of days to get my mind clear," she said. This was so damn hard. She wanted her husband, no, she _needed_ her husband, but she needed something real. Whether the marriage succeeded or failed, it was better to know it now than live a lie. Jasmine was tired of living lies, and fooling herself. She was done with that, and she would never go back to it. She had always made her feelings known, so now it was Kujhade's turn to show how he felt. He either loved her, or he didn't, and there could be no in-between. He let her go, and before she could cry, she turned to her children.

"You wanna go with daddy?!" Jasmine asked them excitedly. They ran to her, jumped on her, kissed, and then jumped down to run to Kujhade.

"Dada! Hunt dada, hunt!" Mili said, then growled and brandished his toy wrist gauntlet.

"Yes, we will hunt my sons. Come," Kujhade said. His voice sounded confident, but Jasmine thought she could hear something else in it too. She saw them to the door, and watched as they walked away. The boys turned a waved once, then jumped and played as they walked along. Kujhade turned once, did not wave or speak, and then slowly turned back around. The door quietly slid down, and there was a finality to it that finally broke her resolve. She put her back to the door and slid down, sobs quietly racking her body.

After a few minutes, she got herself together and stopped crying. She straightened her face, put on a leather skirt, a halter, and put her hair in a ponytail. She put on some black ochre to cover her puffy eyes. She armed herself, and left her home. She knew she shouldn't be out alone, but she couldn't just sit there and cry all night, and she was too upset to study. She made her way to the food court area although she was too upset to eat. No one bothered to pay her any attention as she walked through, but that would all change when she reached the food area.

* * *

 **A/N: So, how will our favorite couple work this out? Did we empathize with Kujhade's point of view? He seems to have realized a valuable lesson; that a bad decision need not only involve when a law or custom is broken. He seems like he's gotten some insecurities off his chest, but is he a day late and a dollar short?**

 **Alright, I've been paying attention to our couple, but now it's time to head back to Earth. Next chapter is all about Earth stuff. It's a monster chapter, so editing will be my new best friend. Have a great day/night, and thanks so much for tremendous support you've all given me! Love ya!**


	10. Uprooted

**A/N: Hi guys! We're back with another one. I've gone back to Earth to check on things, but they have taken a rather disturbing turn. The second half of this chapter is TRIGGERING. I deal with domestic abuse, molestation, trauma, etc. I actually ended up triggering myself as I wrote it. Of course, this is none other than Marcus' half of the tale, so go figure. If these things bother you, I apologize but such is his story. Oh yeah, I do use the N-word as well, so, the icing on the cake if you will. Still, I do hope you enjoy the entertainment value to be found therein, even if it is of a more grim nature.**

* * *

Mike Harrigan Jr., woke up at exactly 3:15 am. His eyes shot open, and coherency came quickly. Knowing that he would not immediately be able to get back to sleep, he reluctantly sat up on the edge of the bed. He passed a hand over his face, double-checked the time on his phone, huffed because it was definitely the wee hours of the morning, and got up to go to the bathroom. A few minutes later, dressed in just his boxers and slippers, Mike trudged to the kitchen to grab a bite to eat. He sat down at the kitchen counter after grabbing the last part of a sub he had earlier, and a cold beer. As he sat there eating, he went over the events from earlier.

After the small argument at the gym, he and Danny had intended to take a short trip to the Love Outreach Shelter until Mike got a call from Alexa.

"Hey Ms. Lexy. For a minute there I thought you lost my number," Mike said smiling into the phone and motioning Danny to pull over.

"How could I lose your number?" Alexa asked playfully from the other end. She seemed in okay spirits, but if she was calling him, then it was business.

"What you got for me beautiful?" Mike asked. Alexa sighed.

"Where to start? First, you could have told me you were back already. Second, I need you to meet me. I've got something to show you that I think you might be interested in. You should come alone," she said. In the background Mike could hear the honking of car horns, and the buzz of people all around her.

"No can do on being alone. I've got Det. Daniel Jimenez with me," he said. There was a long pause.

"Do not bring a cop with you Michael," she said, her tone thick with apprehension.

"He's cool people, or at least he's about to be. I trust him. I grew up with him, my dad was partners with his mom, he's cool," Mike said, looking over at a confused Danny and winking conspiratorially.

"He better be. The company has moles everywhere and I can't afford to be pinned down. Do you know how hard I work to keep just under their radar?" She complained.

"Yes Lex, I know. This is Mike you're talking to. I would never jeopardize you, you know that," he assured her. There was a slight pause.

"You better not. Anyway, meet me at Camilla's in Queens in about an hour. It's a nice little spot, public. They're less likely to pull any bullshit publicly," she said, then hung up before he could say anything further.

"Well, looks like we're going to have to put our little field trip on hold mi amigo," Mike said, putting his phone away and turning towards Danny with a smile on his face.

"Is that that Alexa woman, the one everybody thought was crazy until the video of those damn aliens came out?" Danny asked his childhood friend.

"The very one," Mike answered.

"She's a little bit too MILF-y for you ain't she?" Danny asked. Mike's eyebrows shot up in surprise.

"What? I mean, she aight, I mean, what? What makes you think I like her like that?" Mike stammered. Danny rolled his eyes.

"Anytime you address a woman as Miss anything, that means you like her. Stop acting like I don't know you Mikey," Danny said, laughing at his friend.

"I mean, she's thick what do you want me to do? I don't care about her age. Tell me you wouldn't smash that if she let you," Mike teased. Danny sighed, then smiled.

"Just what I thought. Camilla's, Queens, one hour, let's go," Mike instructed, and Danny pointed the police cruiser in that direction.

Now, Mike sat chewing the rest of a roast beef sub that he'd ordered, noting that it was just as delicious cold as it was when it was toasted. What Lex shared was nothing short of astonishing, and it worked to confirm a few things they had all suspected. However, meeting with her made it necessary for Mike to tell the truth to Danny about what he'd really been doing for the past two years.

Yes, he was in the Army, but he had been assigned on a special mission. A company of mercenaries had been sent into a southern rural region of Arabia to investigate reports and sightings of alien life. Mike had originally been assigned to do a regular tour in Afghanistan when his superior officer called him into a special meeting. He'd been selected to accompany this group due to his father's past, and his dealings with a man named Peter Keyes. Mr. Keyes was deceased, and the circumstances of that death, and the death of several others, had been deemed classified information. What was important, was the research left behind, and the fact that Mike Harrigan Sr. had been present as well that night. The government did everything in their power, which was considerable, to gag detective Harrigan into silence, and it worked. Mike Sr., never spoke a public word about anything that he had experienced or saw. He even kept it quiet from the CIA, the FBI, and all the other secret alphabet soup organizations hiding behind the façade and banner of the United States government. The one person that he shared every detail with, and then swore to secrecy, was his son. At the time, Mike Jr was only six years old, so Mike Sr waited until the tale couldn't give his son nightmares. He never even told his partner Leona, no matter how much she begged and pleaded. It was better for her not to know. Among other things, it gave her plausible deniability. She wasn't there at the end, she didn't see it, so they eventually stopped asking her.

Mike Jr. never revealed that he knew anything, but that didn't stop him from being hand-picked to accompany them. His official position was advisor. He was to give insight into whether or not the spate of killings bore any of the hallmarks of the predatory race of aliens which had visited them seemingly every few years. There had been copy-cats over the years, who tried to mimic the rumors about the alien's style of killing, so every time they investigated they needed to make sure it wasn't some wannabe. He was also tasked with providing his expertise as a soldier, which would help to capture this creature preferably alive. Mike failed to understand the secrecy. Because of Alexa Woods, the predator became public knowledge although many people still believed it to be a hoax. Only the pile up of video surveillance footage, and the increasing and vehement denial by the government convinced people of the truth. Begrudgingly, the truth of their existence was confirmed but the other known details were kept a strict secret. Not much was known about them, but what little had come to light was nothing short of terrifying. They were savages, but they were also technologically more advanced, and the government officials in charge of figuring out all that they could about them, quaked in fear of them. They realized with no small sense of trepidation, that if they so willed, these aliens could conquer and kill or subjugate the entire human race with little effort and with not much to oppose them. Naturally, this became the basis of creating a secret alliance between governments. Even those countries which seemed diametrically opposed to one another, collaborated in an unprecedented way to come up with a method of defense, and maybe even offense, which could counter these predators. The best bet they had, was the weaponizing of the Xenomorph. To this end, Weyland-Yutani was allowed to send in a team to co-op legitimate military operations going on across the globe. Mike had been forced to help, but he had other ideas also. He would help, but he would also do some investigation of his own. He was the son of a detective, a very good detective, and he'd learned a thing or two about snooping and digging and finding out things other people didn't want found out.

Sitting across the table from Alexa had a coming-full-circle effect. He found out about her by snooping through classified files and overhearing conversation while on the mission in Arabia. That mission only lasted a month, although on paper he was slated for a two-year tour. Using that as a cover, he was brought back to the States and debriefed. He was legally gagged, and they'd been watching him ever since. Aside from himself, only one member of the ten-man crew survived.

Yes, there had been a predator there. It was a warzone, conducted by three warlords in a rural area south of Makkah. They'd been killing each other and terrorizing the nomadic Bedouins in the area for months, and it had attracted some very unwanted attention. By the time Weyland's little merry band of mercs arrived, the warlords had banded together, but it was too late. They were shown an area where bodies had been skinned-alive and left to hang in the sparse trees around the area. The children and some of the old folk had taken to calling it a djinn, but Mike knew better. Whatever demon these people believed in, wasn't what was hunting them. A few of the more hardened fighters also called it a djinn, literally meaning to call it a demon, but they also understood that it was not a figment of superstition nor was it merely an apparition. It was real, and it was systematically killing each of them.

Having entered upon its hunting ground, and by virtue of being better armed and armored, Mike and the unfortunate crew he was with, became the highest on this thing's list of priorities. Not a fun place to be. Unbeknownst to Mike, they'd been traveling with another alien life form. After two of the mercenaries had been killed – one skinned and the other beheaded and deboned – he guessed they thought it was time to bring out the big guns. They opened a container no bigger than a rolling suitcase, and pulled out the most disgusting looking thing in a jar of liquid. They hadn't meant for Mike to see it, and he never let on that he did. He didn't see what happened to it, or what they did with it, but he knew that the next night there was something else stalking the small, densely wooded area with them.

After about three days, the so-called big gun proved not to be big enough. Even the mercenaries tasked with capturing or killing the predator cowered in fear, as the unearthly screams, screeches, and roars echoed throughout the night. They all crept in, including Mike, just to get a clear look with their night vision goggles, and what he saw shook him to his core. His father had described these predators to him on many occasion, but without a picture or even a drawing, Mike always had a hard time envisioning it. Now, he was seeing it clearly. It was huge. Bigger than any man he'd ever seen. Sure, there were Guinness world record holders, but they usually had some medical issue making them that large, but this thing was not only huge but graceful, silent. His father hated the one he'd ended up killing because it killed Danny, but overall he spoke of them in high regard, and with much respect.

" _They coulda killed me that night Mike, then you would have never seen your old man again. They didn't. Instead, they gave me this," his father said, and showed him an old flintlock pistol which Mike now kept in his very guarded possession._

Watching it decimate that other alien thing the mercs had brought, gave Mike a brand new level of respect for his dad. He'd killed one of _these_ things?! Good lord in heaven! With a final roar, the predator ran the black alien through with his spear, then turned on the humans who'd sent it. Mike barely made it out alive. Maybe he wasn't made of the same stuff as his father was. Maybe he just lacked the motivation needed to face that thing down mano-a-mano, but he ran. Mike ran away and brought the last remaining survivor with him. They were being hunted day and night, but finally made it to their rendezvous point. Maybe, it just didn't want to get too far from a particular area, but whatever the case they'd lived only because it stopped chasing them.

At the meeting, Alexa shared some information that she'd been gathering for a couple of years. The main thing of interest, was the unusually high rate of missing homeless females across the country. Now, normally there would be no definitive number on that, because homeless people rarely got reported, but in every single instance that she presented, the person in question had been last seen in a shelter or facility owned by Weyland-Yutani.

"Of course, there are more in the major cities just because there are more people, but New York, Chicago, and Los Angeles were hit the hardest and repeatedly," Alexa said, as she showed them hardcopy printouts of maps, and sensitive company paperwork.

Mike and Danny perused the information. As she kept talking, no one noticed Danny consistently shift in his seat, or wipe the sweat from his brow although it wasn't particularly warm this late afternoon.

"What do you think was happening?" Mike asked. Alexa sat back, sighed, then took a dainty sip of her soda through a straw.

"I'm not 100% sure, but the reason I thought you'd be interested in it, is because of what you told me while you were so graciously housed in one of their debriefing facilities," she answered. Danny shot Mike a look.

"You were held by these putos Mike?" He asked. Mike gave him a sheepish look, and nodded.

"They wanted to recruit me for their work. Since I'd made it back alive and was able to tell what I saw, they wanted me to keep doing missions. It was presented as if I was just there to see the wonders of what they were trying to accomplish, but I didn't have a choice. It was my dad who managed to reach out to Lex, and she must've had somebody on the inside because the morning before I was going to be made to agree to terms, they let me go. They didn't explain it, it just happened," he told. Danny nodded and sat back to take a gulp of beer.

"So what'd Mike tell you?" Danny asked Alexa. She flashed him a mistrustful look, but quickly covered it up.

"He told me that while he was there, they spoke of a secret weapon. How they were going to be prepared for the alien invasion, and how you had to 'fight fire with fire'. They spoke of how the citizens of this country needed to make sacrifices to ensure their own safety, and who better to serve that purpose than the derelict among us," she answered. She could see Danny thinking, his brow furrowed deep.

"The whores, druggies, the homeless. Why females?" He asked. Alexa smiled.

"Supposedly we're docile and easy to control," she said, and shook her head at the craziness of it all. Mike took a big bite of his sub and wiped his mouth with a napkin. He took a good look around. None of the other people here knew what kind of shit-storm was brewing all around them. This was not good news.

"The women are just vessels, just being used as cannon fodder. I've seen the way these things work. They are like a hive, think bees or maybe even ants. They have a queen, and I assume she's the only one that can lay eggs. It's the grossest thing you would ever have the displeasure of seeing. These little spider-looking things crawl out, throat rape and face hump you, then the next thing you know some little larvae type thing comes popping out of your chest, of course killing you in the process. I've seen it. I wish never to see it again," she explained solemnly.

"So, what you're telling me is that aside from these big fucking predator crab face aliens, there's another type of alien? Our government and a robotics research and development company are secretly working on a way to harvest these things and make them weapons, like some sort of fucking super soldier?" Danny asked incredulously. Alexa pinned him with a glare.

"That's exactly what I'm telling you," she said, then gave Mike a questioning look.

"And just how the hell do you know all this shit unless you're working for them? I mean, if this Weyland company has got so much reach why haven't they caught up with you yet?" He challenged with a disbelieving grin on his face.

"Because I'm insignificant in the grand scheme of things. If they wanted me they could get me, I have no doubt about that, but I'm not stopping that train from leaving the station. They are doing what they want, and they are counting on the apathy of the American people to continue. Nobody gives a shit about homeless people, so why do you think they chose them? Specifically because no one would care, but apparently, one of the ladies who went missing had a wealthy family. After many months of not hearing from their daughter, they hired private investigators to track any information about her. She was last known to be at the Love Outreach Shelter. This is owned by you-know-who. This lady's name is Brenda Matteson," Alexa said as she slid a picture of Brenda across the table.

"Her family circulated this picture. Once they realized where she had last been seen, they started trying to climb the ladder, but as expected they must've hit a dead-end. They found a lead and whatever it was it was damning, because within the next week their son was found strangled to death in the bathroom of his high school in the middle of a weekday. No one saw or heard anything. It was rather conveniently timed I would think. After that, the Matteson's just stopped, but I was able to get most of this from the website they put up to get leads on Brenda's whereabouts.

"They killed a high school kid? Jeez!" Danny and Mike said together.

"Looks like. Mike, may I speak to you privately please?" Lex asked politely.

"Yeah sure. Danny, could you wait outside for me, I got the tab," Mike offered.

"I'll be in the car. You two have fun," he said with a smile. Once he was all the way out of the little restaurant, Alexa turned to Mike.

"I don't trust him as far as I can throw him, Mike" she said.

"Listen, I know you don't know him, but I do. I trust Daniel with my life, and we can use him. He's in the police department, and he can help us find information. I'm just as invested in finding out exactly what Weyland is up to, and seeing if there's anything we can do to stop them," Mike said. Alexa considered it.

"Tell me Mike, he's closer to this thing than anyone else. Why hasn't he put together the same information that I did? He's little more than twenty years old, a kid. You ever wonder how he is a detective and not a beat cop? I haven't known you for very long Mike, but you gained my trust immediately. I saw how sincere you were, and I met your father. The apple didn't fall too far from the tree, but Danny? There's something not right, and I think you need to be the one to find out what that 'something' is, or it might jeopardize more than your friendship. Just think about it, and while you're thinking, don't tell him _everything_ ," he warned.

Rising from his kitchen counter, Mike stuffed the last bit of sub in his mouth, chased it with the last swig of beer, and went to the livingroom. He turned on the TV, and plopped down on the couch. Danny was his friend. There was no way there was anything nefarious he should be watching for, especially at the behest of a woman he hadn't known nearly half as long.

"Sorry Lex. Bros before hoes," he chuckled. He stretched his long frame on the couch, and eventually dozed off to an infomercial.

* * *

Marcus knew that his father was the type of man that was in and out of jail. Sometimes, he would do a longer stint, sometimes a shorter one, but he could show up at almost any time. It was like he had some type of homing device on his mother. He always knew where to find her, and by default, find Marcus. Terrell was one of those men who had a grimy aura. Everything about him seemed off-kilter, untrustworthy. He was a fairly handsome, brown skinned man. He stood not a whole lot more than 6'0", but he was wide and muscular. Spending as much time in jail as he did, only encouraged his weightlifting. Terrell had been MIA for the past five years, serving time for possession of drugs. At the time he was arrested, he didn't have enough drugs to be charged with intent to distribute but he had more than enough to categorize it as felony possession. So, he served time in the county jail. During that time, Marcus had thought of him very little and not at all fondly. Terrell was verbally abusive, as well as physically, and every time Marcus' mother angered Terrell, his father would take it out on him in increasingly cruel ways. One of his favorite things to do was corner Marcus, and intimidate him until he was reduced to tears. That, and his father's frequent arguments with his mother, and the constant drug traffic through the house, were the dominant memories Marcus carried concerning his dad, so when he came home after his falling-out with Det. Jimenez he was none too pleased to find Terrell in the flesh sitting on the couch in the living room like he owned the place.

"Woooo! Look at this! C'mon in here lil nigga, give ya daddy a hug!" Terrell said jovially, as he got up from the couch to greet Marcus at the door.

"Yeah," Marcus said dryly, and with a frown. He still had his gym bag in his hand, and he stood rigid at the door.

"Fuck wrong wit' you? Come here," Terrell said, coming close and trying to pull Marcus into a hug. Reluctantly, just to keep the peace, Marcus allowed himself to be pulled, but did not return the half-hearted embrace.

"Look at you. You got big on me," Terrell said, giving Marcus a sly look. "Hope you don't think you some kind of man. You don't think you no man, right?" He asked mockingly. It was said in a joking manner, but Marcus knew this was a challenge. A stupid challenge, where Terrell tried to assert some sort of control, but a challenge nonetheless. Typically, when Marcus was younger and this sort of thing happened, he would lower his head and meekly answer in the negative. Now, he just stared hard at his so-called father.

"Ain't nobody got time for this Terrell," Marcus said through clenched teeth. Terrell's face went from mischievous glee, to hard and emotionless.

"Yeah, you think you some kind of man. You ain't shit boy, remember that. You and yo' stank ass momma," he said, smiling at the way hatred flashed in Marcus' eyes.

"Get outta my face," Marcus grunted out, still looking the man in his eyes without blinking. Terrell stared a moment longer, then stepped back a little allowing his son to pass by. He stared after the young man.

"I see imma have to teach you some muthafuckin respect lil nigga. This shit ain't over," he called after.

Just then, Angela came out of her room dressed and ready to go.

"Stop messing with that boy 'Rell. You haven't seen him in forever, you should be happy to see him," she was saying as she rushed out to the living room to look for her house keys.

"Shut the fuck up," Terrell shot back casually. Angela snorted a humorless giggle, more out of a nervous way to keep Terrell mollified, than out of finding any humor in his casual disrespect.

"Your father got out of jail a couple of days ago, Marcus, so you… don't walk away from me," Angela called behind. Then continued getting ready to leave when she got no response.

Marcus had gone to his room, closed the door, then leaned with his back against it as he dropped his bag. He blew out a long sigh, then locked his door. He didn't want Terrell bursting in and bothering him as was his habit whenever he was around. He was absolutely lacking in manners or boundaries of any sort. The good he served, if you could count it as a good, was that his mother was much calmer and less volatile when he was consistently around. This was likely because she was being abused herself, and had a hard enough time walking on her own eggshells to pay Marcus much attention. It all added up to bullshit as far as Marcus was concerned. He thought he'd seen the last of this man. Now that he was here, Marcus felt an immediate sense of disquiet, and the feeling of anxiety formed in his gut. Nothing good ever came out of Terrell being around. He was like a walking black plague. Everywhere he went, destruction was left in his wake, and there was no reason to believe that this time would be any different.

After hearing thirty or so more minutes of shuffling, arguing, and getting ready, Marcus finally heard the front door open and shut. Peace and quiet. He came out of his room and went straight to the kitchen to see if there was anything to eat. Surprisingly, there was a bit of salami to make a sandwich, and some cheap brand of fruit juice which contained less than 11% real juice according to the bottle. Marcus made him a quick lunch and sat down on the couch to eat. He flipped through the TV, not finding anything of particular interest to watch. He finished stuffing the rest of his sandwich in his mouth, and chased it with the cold, super sweet juice drink. He got up, rinsed the dishes and headed to the bathroom to take a shower. When he was done, he went into his room, turned on the TV, and attempted to do some much needed, and very late schoolwork.

[][][][][]

He must have gone to sleep at some point. Marcus woke up to the sound of noise, angry shuffling, and bitter arguing. Wiping his eyes, and lifting himself off the bed, he looked out of the window. It was pitch black outside. He looked at his phone; 2:00 am.

"Shit," he muttered, as he cleared the bed of crumpled school papers. He sat on the edge of his bed and listened.

"Terrell, I don't wanna hear that shit! What makes you think I wanna talk about that?!" Angela said angrily. Two things were immediately apparent to Marcus. One, was that she was high judging by her slurred speech. Two, whatever the subject of the argument was, she really didn't want to talk about it. A mocking laugh rang after her words.

"We talk about whatever the hell I say we talk about. Now, where that fine ass daughter of yours, and stop telling me she missing. How a grown ass woman go missing? She just don't want you to know where the hell she at. Where is she Angela? I need some good pussy tonight, not your old raggedy ass!" He teased cruelly.

"Shut up you damn bastard! I told you she disappeared," Angela said again, the sadness in her voice evident.

"She sucked some good dick. I remember the first day I fucked her. She didn't even fight me. Did I ever tell you she never fought? She wanted to fuck. I knew she was gone be a hoe, I was just helping her find her purpose in life that's all," he teased and laughed.

Marcus heard the distinct sound of something crashing against the wall.

"Bitch! Who the fuck you think you throwing shit at?! Imma fuck you up for that. COME HERE!" Terrell screamed and Marcus could hear the sounds of scuffling and fighting. He came charging out of the room like a bull. Sure, his mother was a piece of shit, but that didn't mean he was going to stand by and let her be beaten. Terrell was unscrupulous and over the years Marcus became warier of what he might be capable of. He barely had restraint once he got started. He wasn't fueled by rage, but something worse; enjoyment. He enjoyed beating those who could not defend themselves against him. It brought him a sick sort of glee which was visible in the gleam of his eyes, and the vacant smile that graced his face at those times.

Even though Marcus had come out immediately, he still caught Terrell towering over his mother who was in a fetal position on the floor between the couch and the wall. He was already stomping her. She was barely coherent enough to cover her head with her arms. Terrell was bending down every few seconds to forcefully move her arms, so he could get a clean shot to kick her. Without wasting time, Marcus ran and tackled an unsuspecting Terrell to the floor. He immediately got on top and starting punching his father in the head and face. Marcus had been doing MMA training and was younger, but Terrell had more practical experience fighting. He didn't panic. He approached fights with a clear mind. He allowed Marcus to expend his energy, and as soon as the onslaught slowed, he clocked the young boy directly on the chin dazing him.

The room started spinning no matter how Marcus willed it to stop. He leaned back, and only by sheer force of will and adrenaline did he not fall back completely. Terrell tried to push him off, but Marcus was built almost as solidly as his father, and it wasn't like the hits hadn't hurt Terrell just because he was still functioning. Marcus regained his focus and went back on the attack. He punched and then followed that up with two or three elbows before Terrell tried in earnest to get out from under his son. Eventually, he did manage to hoist Marcus off and get to his feet. To his surprise, his nose had been busted by one of those elbows, and when he looked up Marcus was already standing with his dukes up. Terrell spat blood directly in Angela's face who had stopped cowering long enough to watch what was happening.

"Uh huh, like I thought. You think you a muthafuckin man. Aight then 'man', let's see what you got. Come on you little bitch," he teased as he circled Marcus, whose temper was nearly as sharp as Terrell's own minus the psychosis.

"You the only bitch ass nigga I see in this room," Marcus shot back. He had to duck a swing, then tackled Terrell again, and found himself back on top. The older man may have had more fighting experience, but he was high. Terrell's drug of choice was crack, and at times meth if he could get it. This left him wired and hyper aware, but unable to focus like he needed to.

Like he did with his heavy bag at the gym, Marcus went right back to the elbows, cracking Terrell's nose even more, and opening a cut above his eye. A fine spray of hot blood, shot into Marcus' face on that last short elbow. Immediately after, Terrell managed to wrap one hand around Marcus' throat and put the thumbs of the other hand into his eye.

"Aagghh!" Marcus screamed as the thumb dug deeper, backing him all the way up. Neither of them noticed that Angela had gotten up amid the fighting, and went into the kitchen. More aware now that her high had been blown by fear and an adrenaline dump, she had retrieved her favorite instrument of torture.

"Stop it, you killing him!" She screamed, as she stood over Marcus brandishing the knife in his face.

It took him a moment to register exactly what he was seeing. Inexplicably, she wasn't threatening Terrell in defense of him, she was threatening him in defense of Terrell. Marcus blinked slowly. He began to become hyper-aware of every little detail. His mother was sweating bullets, and a foul mix of sweat, adrenaline, and the reek of fear seemed to seep through her very pores. She was breathing hard as if she had been the one fighting, and her eyes were wild and focused all at the same time. Behind her, Terrell had made it to his feet, a little woozy but still coherent. One eye was squeezed shut as the blood dripped steadily into it. His nose was a mess that was difficult to look at, and it made Marcus suddenly nauseous. That feeling passed, as Terrell stood next to his mother, the both of them looking like some kind of horrific, demented parents. Marcus scooted back from them, the feeling of being a child again started to creep over him, as though he were reliving some terrible memory that threatened to burst forth. His mother had the knife, but Terrell was the most dangerous.

Unbidden, images of those times that Jazzy would be unaccountably (at least to him) crying and spending a lot of time in the bathroom, presented themselves. Marcus thought he had to be a little boy when all of this started. One memory did come forth. Marcus had been lying in bed reading a comic with a flashlight when he should have been asleep. He remembered turning it off when he heard quiet footsteps approaching, only the footsteps weren't coming to him. They stopped at his sister's room which was next to his own. His only worry at that moment was still about whether or not he'd get yelled at for not being asleep. He waited, nearly holding his breath in his strain to hear, but all had gone quiet. Now, curiosity got the better of the seven-year-old boy, and he crept out of his own bed to place his ear to the wall. The sounds he heard confused him. What could be going on in there? He heard his sister's voice, hushed but without a hint of sleepiness, repeating the word 'no' over and over. Then he heard the deeper hushed tone of… his dad? There was the sound of some type of movement, like maybe on the bed. So, what were they doing? Why would his dad be in Jasmine's room this late at night? Then he heard a sound which alarmed him. He heard the sharp sound of a slap, and then Jasmine's whimper, and then quickly silence. Marcus stepped back from the wall. With wide eyes, he looked towards his own door. Maybe he should go see what was happening, or better yet he should tell his mom, but tell her what? Well, tell her that his dad was in Jasmine's room giving her a whooping or something. He started towards his room door, then stopped before opening it. What if she's in trouble and then _he_ would get into trouble for interfering? After all, he wasn't supposed to be hearing anything at all, because he was supposed to be sleeping.

Marcus went to the door again, but he wasn't headed to his mother. His door was already cracked, but he was careful not to make noise anyway. The hinges needed oiling, and they liked to creak when the door was pushed. He slid his small frame through the barely opened door, and stood super still in the dark hallway. Jasmine's room door was right next to his and her door was half-open. Marcus put his back to the wall in the three feet of space between the two bedroom doors, like the police in his favorite action movies. Now, he tried as best he could to slow his breath and slow the fast beating of his heart, which hammered in his chest and ears. He heard rushed speech that he couldn't understand. It was his father talking, and he sounded both angry and happy, like he did when he was giving Marcus a spanking. So, Jasmine _was_ getting a spanking, but this late? This was a very weird spanking indeed. Something told Marcus that this was a secret spanking, that neither he nor his mother should know about. Then, after a moment or so he did hear the distinct sound of slapping, but quiet and rhythmic. Jasmine continued to whimper, but it was very muffled sounding, like her face was in a pillow. Marcus had to see. He had to make sure of what was happening, and then he was going to tell his mom! There was no reason why there should be any secret whoopings going on, and this was just ridiculous! It was too long of a punishment too, if you really wanted to know the truth. Marcus turned around to face the wall, and put himself flat against it. He then moved his head very, very slowly until one eye could peek in. His mind couldn't really process it. First, it was very dark. The only light coming through Jasmine's window was the light from the alleyway, and that was sort of yellow and not helping visibility. Marcus could only make out shadows at first until his eye adjusted. His dad was behind or maybe on top of Jasmine? It took Marcus only a moment to discern this. Unlike more innocent children which were not exposed to the debauchery found on late night cable channels, Marcus had seen this before. It was called 'doing it', and for the life of him he could not understand why his dad would be 'doing it' with Jasmine. He could have sworn he was 'doing it' with his mother, so this was really, really wrong. He was about to run off and tell his mother. He thought about running in, but his little gut warned him of the outcome to that. It wouldn't be good, and not just one time. It wouldn't be good ever again for him. Just before turning to get to his mother's room just down the hall, he caught Jasmine's eye. Her gaze held him. In it, he could clearly see the shine of tears, and when she discovered that Marcus had also seen her, when she focused on him, two things read to him. It was so powerful that for a while, before his mind decided that it should wall off such a memory, he wondered if it had been like telepathy. SHAME and then behind it DON'T TELL. Those were the only two thoughts which passed through his mind as he looked into the hazel eyes of his sister. As if in a trance, Marcus crept back into his room, slid into the bed, covered his head with the covers, and went into a deep, dreamless sleep.

"Your mom is a trip ain't she?" Terrell said, which came out sounding like 'your bob is a trib ain she'.

"I told her a long time ago, if she let me do what I want, when I want, she wouldn't have nothing to worry about," he said, then sniffed up blood, winced, and continued talking.

"She knew I was fucking your sister, and she knew I was beating the hell outta yo little punk ass, but she ain't do shit about it. Now, she ready to kill you for me. That's how you know you laying good dick. When a bitch turn on her kids, you got her," he said as he smiled gruesomely. He winced again, as the ruin of his nose spread with the smile. It quickly turned into a grimace. Marcus's eyes shifted to his mother, who was wearing a look he couldn't readily define. It looked like shame, but at this moment, Marcus was over it and over her. Slowly he stood up, never once taking his eyes off either of them. Terrell tensed, but wasn't so ready just now to get back into a fist fight. He'd underestimated Marcus and caught the worst of it, so now he was content to allow Angela to do the dirty work.

"All this time you knew. You knew he was raping Jasmine, and you watched as he beat me, and you never did shit to stop this muthafucka," Marcus accused. Angela brought the knife up again.

"You shut the fuck up Marcus. That little bitch was fucking—." She started.

"FUCK YOU!" Marcus screamed, his hands curled into tight fists and his body was trembling with rage and hurt.

"You ain't do shit but fuck her life up and mine too! You let this stupid ass nigga come into our life, and hook you on that shit, and WE paid for it! Jasmine is gone and you never gave a shit for nobody but your precious 'Rell and them stupid ass drugs!" He yelled, the hot sting of tears burning in his eyes, but he refused to let them fall.

"Angela, shut this little bitch up before I put his ass in the Earth," Terrell instigated. Angela seemed confused. She could no longer meet Marcus's gaze, and she was pinned by his. Suddenly, she took a wide step to her right, and waved the butcher's knife at Terrell also.

"Bitch, Imma count to five, and if you still got that knife up at me, Imma make you eat it. Then Imma kill this little fucker and make you watch," he threatened, ignoring his nose and balling his fist up. He was still looking at Marcus as he spoke but took the chance to try to intimidate Angela into obedience with a look. A keyed-up Marcus took yet another charge at Terrell, tackling him for a third time, but Terrell was ready. Marcus made the critical mistake of coming in with his head down, and Terrell kicked him in the stomach, doubled him over, then grabbed Marcus in a headlock. Like a python, his arm coiled tightly around Marcus' head and neck, slowly choking off his air supply. Marcus tried to punch his way out of it, but it was no use. Terrell's grip was too secure.

"Nooo!" Angela screamed.

Suddenly, Terrell began to twist his torso and lower to one knee. This had the effect of bending Marcus' head forward towards his chest, further cutting the oxygen and threatening to break his neck. Marcus struggled even harder, but was fighting a losing battle. The strain was tremendous, and his strength was fading fast.

"Told you to take care of it, now you get to watch me break his dumb ass neck," he said, and Marcus could hear the smile in his voice.

"I told you what I would do if you ever went against me. I told you I would kill you and these kids. You musta thought I was playing wit' you, huh bitch," he said, that smile still in his voice.

"Don't kill him 'Rell," she said weakly. He snorted a laugh, then coughed up blood and spit it on the floor. He tightened the grip in response.

It happened in an instant. She mumbled something that Marcus couldn't hear, and came forward. For some reason, Terrell didn't seem alarmed, but he should have been.

"What the ffffu—" he tried, then gurgled. He let Marcus go, and dropped to both knees. Marcus wobbled on his feet, but still managed to put his fists up. What he saw made him drop them to his sides.

Terrell's eyes were wild, and blood was spurting between the fingers of his hand, as they held his throat. Angela was standing there holding the bloody knife in her hand. She was staring at Terrell and crying silently. He tried weakly to grab for her, a look of confused rage on his dying face. Angela stepped back once and dropped the knife. She covered her mouth with her hands, as her eyes began to read with the dawning realization of what had just happened. Terrell fell back, still holding his throat as the life left his body. A large pool of blood spread in a thick puddle underneath his head.

"Noooooo!" Angela screamed, and knelt down to hold the dead man in her arms. Marcus was still standing there stunned. Timidly, he went towards his mother instinctively trying to comfort her, but she turned on him like a wild animal as soon as he touched her shoulder.

"Get out. Get Out!" She screamed. In that moment, Marcus did not recognize his mother. A hatred so powerful bloomed in his heart, that he couldn't stop trembling. He had an urge to jump her, to kill her as she had done to the man she had always chosen over them, but he contained himself. Instead, he went to his room and filled his large duffel bag with all his essentials. Some clothing, a couple of pairs of shoes, a jacket, his books, his gym gear, and the small amount of money he dared to stash in the vent in his room. He flipped through it. Sixty dollars. Not enough to rent a room anywhere, but it didn't even matter. He folded it into his wallet and jammed it into his back pocket. He put his phone in his pocket as well, then put on a pullover hoodie, his gym shoes, and a pair of jeans. He slung the large, heavy bag on his back and turned to leave. His mother was still in the livingroom, curled over Terrell's dead body, crying and muttering to herself. A government issued flip phone was open near her so apparently, she'd managed to call the police. Marcus decided he wouldn't stick around to be a witness. He wanted, no, _needed_ to get out of this place as fast as he could. Without any goodbyes, without knowing if he'd ever see her again, and without caring whether or not he would, Marcus Bledsoe left the small apartment in Harlem and never looked back.

* * *

 **A/N: So, for those of you able to get through the second half, what did you think? Jazzy has not been the only one to suffer as we all could have guessed. Marcus buried a lot of his, and it has a ridiculous way of showing up, but now he has the confirmation of his mother's complicity in his sister's demise.**

 **What about Mike and Danny? Mike had an interesting tale I would say, but what's with Alexa not trusting Danny? She made a good point about his age vs his position. Also, he seems a bit dead set on convincing Marcus that Jazzy is dead, and also who told him to get close to Marcus anyway? Questions, questions, and hopefully there will be answers, answers!**

 **Special thanks to all of my reviewers. When we pm each other, you all have some of the best insights and ideas in the world. I learn a lot about how you guys are viewing and interpreting the stories, the characters, and some things you might want to see happen. I can't promise that all things are incorporated, but I do like to give you at least some of what you want, while still giving you me on a page. Thanks so much once again for all your support and feedback. I haven't forgotten any of my favoriters or followers. I get the little email notice every time someone follows and faves, so I literally notice each of you. Was that creepy? It might've been a little creepy, but y'all know what I mean :)**


	11. Smooth Operator

It had taken more time than she thought it should have, but she was ready. These others had not yet realized how aware she was, or how strong she'd gotten. As if by some unknown inner-sense, she knew it was nightfall despite being several stories underground. Her hive had rejected her, but that did not change her course. She scanned the room. There were still too few of the small beings. The former queen was still housed in the liquid-filled container, but she'd be out very soon. She tested it. With the tip of her tail, she attempted to pierce the container wall, and felt it give. Emboldened, she struck it again, and on the fourth try it shattered and the liquid spilled out, tumbling her out with it. She rolled to her feet, and immediately got on the move. The myriad of tubing connecting her to the chamber, snapped and dragged behind her.

It had been so long, so long since she'd _moved._ She registered some physical issues, but it wasn't enough to stop her. Before her was a plate glass window, built to withstand many hundreds of pounds of pressure per square inch. The ceiling wasn't tall enough for her to stand up straight, so she crouched and drove herself forward on powerful legs.

 **Craaaaaack!**

"Run protocol eight! There's been a breach on Bouvet Isle!" One of the security guards shouted over the PA.

 **Craaaaaaaaack!**

Within seconds, fifteen guards enter the sectioned off area. The area which housed the queen, Bouvet Isle, was locked behind a series of security doors designed specifically to withstand this type of onslaught. Or, at least that was the intent. She'd never been up and loose within any facility, so there was no empirical evidence to back that up. Of course they tested it with bomb blasts, high-tech battering rams and the like, but they couldn't test it with her. Guards each stood behind three separate blast doors in groups of five. It was such that each group of men and women were to give their lives to save Bouvetoya, or die trying.

" _Is she actually breaking through that shield?"_

" _Who was responsible for sedating that fucking thing?!"_

The nervous question asking and shrieks every time the queen hit the glass increased exponentially. Protocol eight was being run, which was a sedative administered through the ventilation system. It was mixed with a coolant to slow her. Liquid nitrogen would have stopped her, but for good, and the company couldn't have that. It would freeze her too quickly and make her strong exoskeleton fragile. The queen shook her head. She charged again.

The shatter of glass was spectacular. The gas was instantly shut off. Unfortunately, Bouvetoya was not shut off. She was angry. One of her lesser arms was missing. Her crown was damaged. She could feel part of it was chipped or gone. They had even done something with her visual sensors, but that wasn't so bad. Clear. She could see more clearly. She could hear them more clearly also. They hummed and vibrated all around her. She could feel them through the floor, and she could feel the beat of their lifeforce, and she could feel their breath on the air. Kill. She'd reached out, and there were no more of children so kill was the only thing left. Kill. Kill to survive. Kill to be free. Kill. Them. All!

The shriek was loud and full of rage. She saw them there but something was in her way. They expected her to charge ahead, but she had not survived this long by blundering into death. No. Unlike her drones, she was much too large to find refuge in the air shafts. She tested her strength against the ceiling. She could have done it, but it would take too much. They could kill her in the meantime. It was unthinkable to be killed here, to be killed at all! Already crouched, she bent down even further facing the blast doors. They watched her long sharp tail wave behind her, and then in a blur, it drove itself into her left flank. She screeched as she impaled herself repeatedly, her acidic blood beginning to pool beneath her, and then proceed to burn effortlessly through the floor.

" _She's burning through!"_

" _What's below us?!"_

" _The mess hall! She's breaching the mess hall!"_

They didn't dare open the blast doors to give her a surefire way to the surface. It might have even been better to allow her a small reprieve to the mess hall. Better the lives lost there, than on the streets of New York. She pierced her own hide several times, enough to let the blood puddle beneath her. In a matter seconds, she was falling through melted metal, insulation, and concrete right on top of a group of civilian workers eating. Without needing time to gather her wits from the fall, Bouvetoya got on the move. There were not many here, so a few quick slashes of her tail killed most, the others were crushed in her giant claws, or pierced by her large inner jaws.

Sirens went off and lights flashed, but all of that was inconsequential to her. She tore through the large cafeteria straight into the hall. The ceiling was still too short for her to stand to full height, but the hall was long enough for her to go into a dead run, and she did not need her height for that. With her head down, crown like a battering ram, and screeching like a banshee, she ran headlong into a pair of glass doors, leaving them obliterated in her wake. It opened up into a room vaguely reminiscent of a hospital nursery. It was gruesome. Lines upon lines of small jar-like containers were filled with Xenomorph hybrids of all descriptions. Xeno-tigers, xeno-wolves, xeno-humans produced by scientific experimentation rather than the usual process, floated on their containers lifelessly. Bouvetoya crashed through most of them in her mad dash to get out. Bursting through yet another set of doors, she was met by a hail of gunfire.

" _Shoot it!"_

" _We're still under orders to capture her!"_

" _Fuck that!"_

This room was cavernous. It housed the generators that helped provide power to the facility. It was roughly half the size of a large stadium, and the walls were lined with machinery. The far wall at the end housed four extremely large exhaust fans built into it. It was the only option for an exit, but first.

Pain! Now she could take a better reckoning of her physical condition. She had pierced her own left flank, but her right was being assaulted and it hurt! These things usually did not possess the capability to harm one such as herself, but as of right now they were hurting her. Not yet at full strength, she veered violently to her right and charged the group. They had been firing armor piercing rounds, and parts of her exoskeleton had been shorn down to a thin plating, or surgically cut away. She slammed into them like the thirty-foot living freight train she was, knocking them down like bowling pins.

" _Flank her!"_

" _Deploy the nets, now!"_

She tore several soldiers in half, blood and guts flying everywhere. She turned and stomped a small group underfoot, silencing them and their weapons. Then with a single stroke of her powerful tail, she skewered at least five or six people in the world's most horrible shish-kabob. Whipping it, the bodies flew into the air hitting the walls and at least one generator. From above, nets were shot down onto her. They tangled in her crown and draped over the top of her face. She shook her large head again in an attempt to remove it, and then felt mounting discomfort. The nets were electrified, and were delivering a consistent current at high voltage, but it did little more than scramble her sense of direction, and make them harder to pinpoint. Bouvetoya shrieked in fury as she reached up to grab the net from her crown. She got it half way off, when something wrapped itself around her right major arm and pulled. It pulled with enough force to topple her, a few unfortunate souls were unable to get out of the way as she crushed them under her weight. The soldiers had deployed a mechanical harpoon, trying to corral her without killing her as they had been directed, but they would die for their effort. Quickly, the queen got her footing and zeroed in on the cables that had her. With a mighty pull, she swung the heavy harpoon making it careen across the floor at surprising speed. The cables acted as a deadly clothesline, cutting anyone unfortunate enough to find themselves in its path. Momentum released her from the grip of the cables, as she shook the ineffective nets from her crown. The remaining few soldiers continued to open fire on the beast, as they called in reinforcements.

The trick with the harpoon cable opened a path before her towards the rear of the room. Bouvetoya turned in that direction, but not before whipping her tail at the soldiers still managing to shoot her. Her strength was starting to wane. She could not be captured, tortured, hear her children hatched only to experience their pain, and then for herself to be entered into a seemingly endless sleep. With the memories flashing through her mind and body in little snippets. She could almost feel the pain of electric shocks, could hear the cries of her children ring through her whole body. With renewed rage, she let loose a deafening screech and then began to move towards the small group. They tried to run, but she was able to swat half of them and send them flying towards the generators. The damage didn't cause a spectacular explosion like in the movies. It was closer to a smolder, then a flash and then the powering down of some system within the structure occurred. From the wall she burst through, more soldiers arrived with more ways to kill her.

Nothing but a blind rage which was as natural to her kind as being hatched, coursed through her. It was only tempered by the equally fierce and natural need to survive. To that end, as much as she would have liked to keep killing, Bouvetoya turned from the new group of attackers and ran full steam towards the fan wall. Predictably, they ran behind her in the belief that they now had her running and cornered. The large fans appeared to be spinning slowly, but that was an illusion. The force of the airflow alerted her of this fact. The objects would need to be destroyed so that the exit could be cleared. Only one way to do so. Turning on a dime, the queen crouched and scooped up two men per hand and tossed them in the direction of the fans. She felt the splatter of blood and chunks of gore hit her, as she turned to grab more.

"Don't let her grab you!"

It was too late for that. Picking them up now with her tail as well, impaling them on tail tips and claws before tossing them like ragdolls into the fans. Eventually, one of the fans ground to a halt. The gunfire behind her had lessened but it had not stopped, and she could no longer detect all the damage at this time. She needed to escape quickly before there were even more. With one last swipe of her tail to keep them back, she pulled the fan from the wall. Pieces of metal and concrete fell to the floor. Faster than her size would have led anyone to believe, Bouvetoya climbed through the gaping hole of the huge ventilation shaft, with soldiers in hot pursuit.

* * *

Kujhade milled around near the edges of the landing area, his ship only a few yards away. On the flat hard surface, Yeyinde and Mili were running and playing with each other. Mindful of the statements Jasmine made, he'd promptly showered. Maybe if he'd done that before, things would have turned out differently. Sitting on the metal platform watching his children, Kujhade was replaying only Jasmine's end of the conversation. He played it in all speeds, and translated it as well for a better understanding. The thing that stood out to him the most, was her assertion that she'd meant nothing to him, and that this was due to her status as a human. Somehow, she had reasoned out that his desire to mate R'ka automatically placed her in an inferior position in his eyes. Did she really feel this way? He hadn't meant to cause this. He had only meant to take up on the only female of his kind who wanted him. So long had it been a desire, a need, for acceptance that he failed to foresee all outcomes, or even to check with his mate. He'd asked her once if she was sure, but he could have inquired a little more, or held himself until the next rotation just in case. Now, what was done was done, and he could do nothing to change the past, but he could do something to alter the course between him and Jasmine. She requested him to spend time away from her, something he had never even slightly considered doing until she said it, but he couldn't do this. Jasmine had to be told, today, now, that she was not some baby machine who didn't mean anything to him. She needed to be told that he… that he loved her. Yes, he had gone over that in his mind many times. How would it play out if he told her? He had expressed his love to only one female in his life, and was rejected harshly for it. One day he thought he would climb his bearer as other pups usually did. He managed to find her preparing a meal. Happily, he climbed up her back as she was kneeled, crawled over her shoulder and ended up face to face. He purred loudly and brought his forehead to hers. At first, there was no reaction. The next thing he knew, she was growling and had knocked him to the floor. He attempted another show of similar affection only once more to her, and was beaten severely. This was only a few weeks prior to being left in the forest to fend for himself. From that point on, he vowed never to show open affection to any other female ever again. If his actions could not convince her of his dedication, then that would be a personal problem. With Jasmine, he had felt the urge to proclaim his affections to her early on, but always held back. Even though she seemed to require a verbal assurance along with his corresponding actions, Kujhade always denied her this. After a while she seemed content to allow it, but now? Now, she believed that he did not hold these feelings at all.

He barked a sound of approval at his boys. They were playing and roughhousing, but instead of discouraging this as Jasmine often did, he urged it on. They were more than happy to flip and tumble each other on the hard landing surface. Grunting his approval, Kujhade replayed a snippet of something Jasmine said earlier:

" _It was one of the hardest things I have ever done. I love you so much Kujhade. I don't think you can even really understand how much you mean to me. To do that, it was only because I love you. You had one chance to have a woman of your choice, and not a second place woman like me. I didn't think it was fair to stop you. I wish I could take it back, but I can't. It's blown up in my face in so many ways. I never expected to find out that I didn't mean as much to you as I thought I did,"_

He slowed it down, then replayed it.

"… _not a second place woman like me…"_

" _..I love you so much Kujhade…"_

Stopped, replayed it.

"… _I love you so much Kujhade..."_

"… _I love you…. Kujhade…"_

"… _second place woman like me…"_

No! She was not a second prize! It had been his idea to life mate her, his! Why? She made him feel things he did not believe he would ever be given another opportunity to feel. She had accepted everything about him, from his looks, to his hunting of humans, to his culture, and his pups. She had thrived even though she had been separated from all that she had ever known. Was this not worthy of affection? Of love? Of respect and honor? Was she not worthy to have it made known? Yes, she was worth this effort. With a new determination, he gathered his boys and set off back home. Yes, he had been made to leave her presence, but surely that would not stand once she heard what he had to say.

"Yeyinde, Mili, come my sons," he called to them. Instantly they ran as fast as their legs could carry them, and jumped into his arms, ready to be carried.

"Dada, we hunt?" Yeyinde asked, waving his toy wrist gauntlet (which was a real wrist gauntlet which was simply inoperable) in Kujhade's face. He couldn't help but smile at his small pup so eager to hunt.

"Sei-i, but not now. I make an oath to take you on a hunt, but I have much to do first," he assured them. They were so intelligent for their age. This made him a proud sire, and made him think about Jasmine again. They were the product of her as well as him, and she had produced very strong pups.

As he walked, he gave Mili a piggyback ride, and held Yeyinde on his hip. The little pup laid his head on his father's shoulder, and went to sleep. On the way home, Kujhade contacted the small female pup from his own clan to babysit. He had to promise her a certain amount of credits to visit the marketplace with, but she finally agreed.

He made it there before her, but she came up shortly after. She was scowling at first, but brightened when Yeyinde roused from his brief nap, and flashed her a grin and a purr.

"I do not mean to bother you, but this is important," Kujhade offered by way of apology. Dropping her eyes a little at her clan leader's humble approach, the young pup nodded and took the children into the home.

"It is my pleasure to serve," she said meekly, bowed slightly and went inside.

Kujhade then consulted his wrist gauntlet to pinpoint Jasmine's position.

"The common area? Why would you go there?" He muttered to himself. Then, his eyes rounded in horror. There was nothing to be found there, but a congregation of very horny males. He double-checked all his weapons, and briskly made his way to Jasmine.

[][][][][]

It was crowded. All the long tables were full from end-to-end with raucous males. They were eating, arguing, laughing, and slightly on the verge of a fight every few minutes. Jasmine stood on the outskirts, kicking herself mentally for coming here as if she were headed to the local unpopulated bar back home. She glanced over her shoulder in the general direction of her home. There was no way she could have stayed there, so here she was.

"Here goes nothing Jazz. Just don't look eye-to-eye within anyone, and definitely don't flirt," she chided herself. The old Jasmine defaulted to flirting with other guys, and having one-night-stands when her boyfriends made her mad. This couldn't be like that. Kujhade wasn't just her boyfriend, or her john, he was her husband, and she would behave as such. She walked to what struck her as a buffet area. There was no one serving food. It simply sat available on a first-come-first-served basis. The only time there were servers were for the drinks, and to replace empty platters of food at the buffet. At the end of the buffet line, she was surprised to find there was a sort of bar, however it was also crowded. Not knowing where to go, but not wanting to return home just yet, Jasmine grabbed an empty platter and began to pick out things she was familiar with.

Across the large outdoor lunch area, Thwei Nikhou'te spotted the young human female as she entered. He sat at one end of a long table by himself, the other yautja avoiding his company. They did not want to upset him, or garner his attention. His reputation as a fierce hunter, and as a male you didn't want to deal with during mating season, had always preceded him. Now, the reputation would be proven again, as he set his sights upon her. She had picked out a little food, not enough for anyone to gain nourishment from as far as he was concerned. Her scent was still very sweet and inviting, and it was tinged with just the right amount of anxiety. She was not displaying any outward fear, which was even more attractive. He also noted that she was again without her mate, and now she was without her pups. Nikhou'te rose from his seat, and made his way towards her, a rumble starting in his chest already.

Jasmine had found one little spot at the very end of a bench where she was going to take a seat, until she saw a large male in her periphery. He was headed straight towards her. Turning to face him squarely, she realized it was the elder male from before. He still donned his long flowing cape, and he had on a lot less armor than she thought he did earlier. He was obviously advanced in age if the length of his tusks, and the amount of thorns on his face were any indication, but his body showed no sign of weakness. A part of her liked where this could potentially go. He had shown interest and since it was mating season, it would be quite a simple matter to seduce him, but she had to contain herself and be careful. These were not men, and could not be easily swayed off course once they put their minds to something. The other part of her, was fearful of this same potential. His purring and clicking brought her out of her thoughts, and she snapped her eyes up to his face, while avoiding long eye contact.

Thwei was pleased. Her mate had taught her well their ways. She gave him enough eye contact to acknowledge his presence, but not nearly enough to upset or challenge him. The males on the bench not a couple of yards from where they stood quieted down as they watched this strange encounter. Without saying anything, Thwei Nikhou'te brought up his wrist gauntlet, and pressed a few buttons. From nowhere, a holographic image of her and Kujhade came up, complete with sounds. It was the last time they'd had sex publicly at one of the mating gatherings. Thwei locked eyes with the small human and tilted his head to the side.

The blood couldn't rush to her cheeks fast enough. True to everything she'd learned about them, someone had recorded it. They recorded all new experiences, and pretty much everything else that struck their fancy. Now she was some kind of intergalactic porn star, and this male was showing Jasmine her own work as if to confirm that she was the woman in the video. It was starting to draw more attention, as the sounds of her moaning and calling Kujhade's name was starting to fill the newfound quiet in the large outdoor eating area.

"Could you do me a favor and put that away, please?" Jasmine asked, looking around at all the males who had seen it, and were now looking at her with interest. Without any hesitation, he did as she asked.

"The pale hunter your mate?" He asked in pretty good English. He then looked around in exaggerated fashion. "Not here. Not protect you?"

"What makes you think I need protection?" Jasmine asked haughtily. She put her hand on her hip and tossed her hair, which seemed to elicit an amused chuff from the elder.

"Mating season. Desperate males. Sweet female scent. Human needs protecting," he said, and then offered a large hand for her to take. Oh this one was a piece of work, but she felt a tinge of shame that he was absolutely correct in all his assessments so far.

"And what about you? You're not a desperate male that I need to be protected from?" She asked. He clicked and then shook his head.

"Dissssciplined. Not young pup," and stood proud. Now, it was her turn to chuckle, but only a little. She put her poker face back on. Jasmine looked at the outstretched hand, then back up at the elder.

"Are we going somewhere?" She asked, and he chuffed again. "I'm glad you find me so funny."

"Come eat," he offered then, beat his chest twice. "Thwei Nikhou'te. Feared clan leader, elder among hunters," he stated proudly in his own language, then stretched his hand out again.

"Well, nice to meet you Thwei. My name is Jasmine, but I don't need your hand. Walk," she commanded. He gave her a look of appreciation, turned around, and then strode off.

Keeping a good pace behind him, he led her to his seat, an island in a sea of yautja. They sat across from each other in silence. She began to pick at her food, painfully aware that he was not eating at all, but watching her intently, purring all the while.

"You can stop purring at me. It's not going to get you anywhere," Jasmine said, now looking him firmly in the eye. He clicked, both liking and not liking her direct look.

"Do you not like this? Your mate does not purr at you?" He asked, taking a swig of c'nlip from a huge metal mug.

"All the time," Jasmine answered, then took a bite of food.

"Is the pale hunter your life-mate, or only for this season?" Thwei asked, going back to his native language.

"You're all up in my business, but yeah he's my life mate. Why?" She asked suspiciously. Telling your business to strangers was just simply something you didn't do.

"I believe you would outshine every trophy that I have acquired, and I have acquired many," he said matter-of-factly, and followed it up with a low, sensual purr.

Jasmine stopped, fork in mid-air. Her eyes trailed back up to his face. His eyes were a beautiful greyish color, ringed in gold. A slight growl underlined his purring, but otherwise he did not stop, and she did not flinch.

"What is that supposed to mean exactly?" She asked finally, food still hanging in the space between the plate and her mouth. Thwei clicked and cleared his throat. He sat up higher in his seat and gave her a stern look.

"This is the final cycle in which I will seek to sire younglings. After that, I will not sire anymore, but I still desire a mate," he said.

"And you think I'm gonna be your mate?" Jasmine asked incredulously. He tilted his head to the side.

"Perhaps. If you agree," he said, as if that should have been an obvious conclusion.

"You've got some mighty big balls to just walk up and figure I'm supposed to just agree to go off with you and be your woman," she said, snorting a laugh at what had to be a joke. The only issue was that these guys didn't joke.

"My reproductive organs are quite large. Do you want to…?"

"No!" Jasmine said quickly, nearly choking off the small bite of food she was trying to eat. "I do not need to see your… I didn't even mean it literally. Look, I don't know what the hell is going on, but whatever it is, it's over with," Jasmine said, wiping her mouth and getting up from her seat. A large hand stopped her, grabbing her by the wrist.

"Jassssmiiiine," he said, switching back to English to say her name. "Do not leave," and even though he left off 'please' at the end, it was evident that this was not meant as a command.

"What do you want from me?" She asked, becoming annoyed and a bit unnerved. He was being 'sweet' in a yautja way, and she couldn't figure out why he would be acting this way. A desire to have sex with her wouldn't have made him speak and act as he was doing now. He stared at her a long time, long enough to make the question hang in the air, and make the moment awkward. At the same time, he had begun to caress her wrist and arm, as a low purr once again emanated from him. She found herself held by his gaze. His eyes held her own, but he didn't seem angered by it. He appeared to be thinking deeply about something that she could not imagine, and he also seemed to be searching for a way to say what was on his mind.

"The sire of my sire mated a human female. My sire was the product of that coupling. For many cycles, they kept their mating and the youngling a secret from all. He would visit her on Earth, going frequently under the guise of a hunt, until it was found out that he had not only mated a human, but had offspring from her," Thwei said suddenly. Jasmine's attention was immediately captured by his tale. Slowly, she seated herself, forgetting completely that he still had a gentle grasp on her wrist and arm, and had not once stopped caressing it.

"What does any of this have to do with…" she began, but he held his hand up to stop her.

"Once the leader of his clan realized the situation he demanded that my sire's sire… what would a human call this?" He asked suddenly.

"Your grandfather. Your sire's sire, is your grandfather," she offered. He nodded.

"My grandfather was labeled as a bad blood, and to regain his status, he was commanded to kill the female and the pup. He refused. Instead, he pleaded to have her and pup brought among them. He took the chance that since she had been able to birth a pup, and the fact that they bore no human appearance, that they would both prove strong enough to survive. Eventually, this was granted, but it was difficult. The human female was ordered to be separated from her mate for the whole time. My grandfather was held prisoner. If the woman and the pup survived, and proved strong, he could live and his honor restored. If they died, or proved weak, his bad blood status would have been deemed correct and as such he would have been killed," he continued, delighting in the way Jasmine was listening so closely.

"What happened?" She asked in a small voice. It was almost the voice of a child listening to very good bedtime story.

"When the suckling was weaned, the female was trained briefly, given only the most essential weapons, and made to perform a chiva. It wasn't kiande amedha, but the prey was no less fierce. For two days the chiva lasted. On the night of the second day, after all hope of her life had passed, and my grandfather was to be sent to the black hunter, she returned triumphant. They were not killed, but they were cast out for their choosing of one another, and for bringing a hybrid into existence. They thought a hybrid would be weak, but my sire was strong. I took over his clan after defeating him in a duel of his request. It was my honor to do so, and his honor to die at my hand," he said finishing his story, but still looking as if he had more to say.

Jasmine was outwardly calm, but inside she was reeling. This yautja, whom others of his kind seemed to fear, had just told her an intimate story of his lineage. This was something Kujhade had never done. He never regaled her with stories of his growing up, of his many battles, of his struggles, nor his triumphs. Sure, he told her about different hunts, and the trophies he'd gained. Every hunter was proud to talk about those things, but any time it got too personal, too deep, went into too much of his past, he would abruptly stop speaking. The silence was usually followed by him getting up and leaving the room altogether. Kujhade was so private, that in this instant Jasmine realized that she did not know much about the man she'd pledged to spend her life with, the man she'd pledged her heart and love to.

"There must have been something about that human female that made my sire's sire go to great lengths, and endure the title of bad blood for her sake and the sake of his suckling. Either you lack this thing, or the pale hunter is blind to it. He has left you alone at a time when you would be in much danger. If he is your life mate, then why is he not here with you?" Thwei asked, all the while caressing her arm.

His mind was moving a mile a minute. So, _this_ was what a human female felt like when you weren't pushing the unarmed ones aside to get to your kill? This is what they smelled like when they weren't soiling themselves in complete terror of you? He could get used to this. She had not rejected his touch, which was a good sign. Yautja females neither required, nor expected you to caress them. This human seemed to respond to it just fine, so what other course of action to take than the one which was yielding you the results you wanted? Jasmine was truly pyode amedha. She was small, delicate, and he briefly allowed himself to imagine what it must be like to have her underneath him, moaning in pleasure as she had done with her young but neglectful mate. The very thought of her screaming his name as he drove himself into her small frame repeatedly, made him release a powerful purr. Jasmine was at a loss for words. She flinched a bit as his purr got louder, and his grip on her wrist a little tighter. He'd scratched the table with his free hand, and his eyes blazed suddenly. Jasmine was accustomed to them, but sudden flashes of their true predatory nature always startled her. You just never truly got used to that no matter how much time you spent around them. She tried to think of something to say, but a voice boomed from the end of the long bench they were seated at.

"Her life mate his here, and you need to remove your hands from her, now!" Kujhade's deep baritone voice sounded in the vast eating place, shushing all other talk and merriment.

As though he had been expecting such an outburst, Thwei Nikhou'te rose to his feet, shook his dreads and stepped towards Kujhade. All eyes were on them, and the tension of a pending battle crackled through the air like electricity.

"Jasmine!" Kujhade barked, and her feet moved of their own free will, as she scrambled to him.

"Kujhade, it's okay," she said, but he took an arm, and pushed her behind him protectively.

"The pale hunter. Your reputation is well known among the clans. You are an elite hunter, an arbitrator, and shunned by all females of our kind. Tell me, young pup, do you really want your mate, or would you rather be rid of her? I can relieve you of her if you like," Thwei said, and then casually took out his combi-stick and lengthened it.

At that, Kujhade started growling loudly. He took out his own staff and made it at the ready. He'd heard of this particular elder. Thwei Nikhou'te was known for many things, one of which was the ability to woo a female away from her mate, sometimes during the act itself, whenever he made his presence known. Many females flocked to him, willingly ending a mating session with another male, to offer themselves to him. Supposedly, he'd sired somewhere upwards of two hundred pups, with the vast majority not only surviving their chiva, but dominating it.

Kujhade had been all set to express himself to Jasmine, but he had also been ready to grab her from the clutches of any male attempting to coerce her into mating. It was a little bit of a surprise to find the one and only Thwei Nikhou'te in the act of purring to and petting _his_ mate. The worst part, the part Kujhade decided he couldn't concentrate on, was the way she seemed to respond to Thwei. She was sitting there letting him rub her, listening to whatever he was saying; the same way she did with him whenever he told her of some hunt he'd been on, or some duel he'd won. This thought angered him. How dare this elder believe he could come and take his mate from him?!

"She belongs to me! We are life-mated, and it is best for you to stand down," Kujhade said in his one attempt to stave off this battle. Thwei Nikhou'te was more than formidable, and although he wasn't afraid of the elder, Kujhade knew that it would be no easy victory. Meanwhile, Jasmine took a look around and realized her children were nowhere to be seen.

"Where're the boys?" She asked, then remembered she could track them on her own wrist gauntlet, which she did immediately. She breathed a sigh of relief when she saw they were at home, and that the young female was also there. With that mini-crisis averted, she turned her attention to the impending fight. It was a fight over her, even though she had made no mention of wanting to have any sex with anybody. Sure, the elder was almost romantic in his approach. He was sexy, very sexy, and she struggled not to let her imagination roam free. For all intents and purposes, he was not only speaking about mating her temporarily, but taking her as his own on a more permanent basis. She didn't know how she had managed to capture his attention in such grand fashion, but she did know that no matter what the outcome, she wasn't going to leave Kujhade on the back of a fight, to go hurtling through space with some other male. If this had happened at the beginning, at the start of her and Kujhade it would've worked, but not now. They had just begun to circle one another, when Jasmine once again inserted herself between two males about to fight. It had never gone well for her, but the millionth time might be the charm.

"Wait, wait, wait! Stop!" She said jumping between them with her arms out like a referee trying to stop a fight. Both of them growled fiercely at her, as a collective click went up from the gathered crowd like a gasp.

"How many times must you do this before you realize you will be killed Jasmine?!" Kujhade bellowed, as he reached to grab her. She nimbly dodged, and shook her head.

"Listen to me. If this fight is about who I'm going to mate, then you might as well stop," she said, happy that they seemed to be halfway listening, although the tension hadn't really died down.

"Thwei, you are very sweet. I appreciate how you wanted to talk to me, and that you would try to challenge for my attention. The truth is, that even if you win I will not mate you. I won't have sex with you, and I'm not going away with you either. I am Kujhade's mate, and I will always be Kujhade's mate," she said. All was quiet as the two males seemed to be digesting those words. Thwei spoke up first.

"If I beat him, you must at least consider it, since I will have proved the stronger male," he said, trying to get her to listen to reason. Astonishingly, Kujhade nodded.

"Jasmine, you know the terms. If he defeats me, then, he will be a better mate," he said, the anguish evident in his voice, and the anxious clicks that followed his words.

"See, this is where we're different. I don't need to watch my man get beaten bloody, or watch him beat somebody else to figure out who I want. Your females are swayed by that kind of shit, but not me. I love Kujhade, and there's no mating squabble he can get into that's gonna change my mind about it. So, both of you back off, put your weapons up, and Kujhade, we can go home," Jasmine said, still refereeing. She looked pensively from one to the other, hoping like hell they would just chill out.

Thwei stared hard for a few moments. Eventually, he collapsed his spear, and stood back. Unexpectantly, he graced her with a wonderful smile, and then followed that up with a slow once over. He then addressed Kujhade.

"You are a young pup, and the story of your survival and your status as outcast is well-known. There is a certain quality that your human mate holds, that I desire to possess and know for myself before I meet the black hunter. If you remain heedless of this, you will meet many more challenges and she will not be there to stop them. Be mindful of your mate, pale hunter, or she may not be your mate much longer," Thwei admonished. Kujhade growled again loudly, but seemed to be somewhat chastened by what the elder had to say. Jasmine thought it was very kind, and sought to speak another word.

"Thwei, even though I can't be with you, I know at least a few women back home, who would love to have a handsome elder as their mate. I hope you find one, one day," she said to him.

"I am honored by your words Jasmine. At the moment, I am searching for only one female. If you happen to find her, tell her that she owes me a suckling. Her name is R'ka," he said looking directly at Kujhade now. "Let her know that I spared her life after taking her clan for one reason, and one reason only. If she does not deliver, I have no choice but to kill her to complete my victory. You are the arbitrator, so I expect this will not be difficult for you," Thwei said to Kujhade, then turned on his heels, and walked away.

Dumbfounded by everything that had been said by both Thwei and Jasmine, Kujhade collapsed his weapon, and looked down at his mate. Jasmine had walked up to him tentatively, hoping that he wasn't too agitated to allow her to touch him. He purred a little, just to let her know it was alright. He reveled in the feel of her soft hand on his arm, trying to gently pull him with her. Wordlessly, they both struck out towards home.

[][][][][]

R'ka watched as Kujhade strode off, leaving his pups behind. As usual, he was always leaving something important behind. From a nearby rooftop, a cloaked R'ka jumped onto Kujhade's roof and slipped down. Without knowing how long he was going to be gone, she knew she had to make this quick. She stood before the door just a brief moment before politely knocking on it. A few moments later, it opened to reveal a female youngling watching over the pups.

"Who are you?" The young female growled, popping her wrist blades and taking a stance.

"No one you should be concerned about," R'ka said, and then quickly punched the young female in the face, knocking her out. She stepped over her and closed the door. The pups were asleep in their pit, but woke up at the commotion. They both watched her as she slowly approached, and then squatted down on her haunches. She reached out to Mili, who graced her with an uncertain smile, and petted his crest.

"Hello, little one," she said, and grabbed him in her arms.

* * *

 **A/N: I love Elder Thwei Nikhou'te! He's got moves, and Kujhade should've had a pen and pad handy, lol. Also, R'ka seems a bit desperate. She's also playing with fire. Jealous heffa + messing with people's kids = premiered on Worldstar!**

 **Our dear queen has mounted her own escape as well. This is my last prewritten chapter, so I now have no idea of exactly where she's going, or what happens to her after this, but I think I sort of like her too. She doesn't have a lot of coherent thought, but that doesn't stop her from acting on her impulses. I hope I wrote her escape scene believably. I think she's a lot to handle, and her age has made her tougher than most. In truth, she is so old that she might be an empress rather than a queen. I hadn't thought about that until now :(**

 **Anyway, thanks so much to all my readers, followers, favoriters, reviewers, and pm'ers. You guys provide more help and feedback than I think you realize. Since you don't know where I'm going with the story, you give me extremely 100% genuine responses as they strike you. I use it as a litmus test for what I want to write, vs what you want to see written. Believe it or not, at least one of you will always nail the direction. (That may or may not be a good thing. Either great minds think alike, or I'm extremely predictable) Conversely, I sometimes have a course in my head, and receive negative feedback on it, before I've even presented it in the story. So, you guide me in a way. I think most writers would kill to have such direct feedback on what they write as it gets written, so I'm extremely grateful for this opportunity and for all of your responses! :D**


	12. Dishonored

Kill the albino one. That thought had been swimming around in her head since Kujhade threatened her about it in the basking area. R'ka had nothing against the young pup. She didn't even have anything personally against its mother, although crushing the ooman woman's whole world anyway she could, became sort of high on the priority list ever since her existence passed from rumor to reality. This was about strength. This was about showing Kujhade that the mate he had, was too weak to even do something as simple as not bring him shame and dishonor. But, as she held the little pup, which looked so much like his sire, she found she had a difficult time spilling its blood. She had taken the time to tie up the small female who would rouse soon, and she had even extended her wrist blades to perform the gruesome task, but she could not. Slowly she retracted her blades. She was still standing on the edge of their small sleeping pit, holding Mili by the nape of his neck. He was sort of limp, but managed to reach a small hand out, sharp little talons grazing her lower jaw, and a purr was pulled from her. It surprised them both. She hesitated, then purred again tentatively, her bearer's instincts surging to the forefront. Looking at him, she couldn't help her mind straying back to the past.

R'ka made sure to give birth alone, just in the instance that it all turned out as she feared. She'd found a small waterfall which filled a clear running, rock-lined pool. The natural pool spilled out and traveled as a fast running brook into the dense forest. It was peaceful, it was calm, and best of all it was solitary. She stole away from her clan sister's communal home as soon as she felt labor pains. Hours passed as she bore her pain in the water, eventually giving birth there. When she pulled the suckling from her own loins, she was horrified. After much battling within herself, and worrying what would be said about her after choosing Kujhade as a mate, she had finally given in. Now, as she stared down at her newborn the realization dawned immediately. She could not present it, could not raise it. She would not allow the hardships that she had witnessed the suckling's sire go through first-hand, be the fate of her daughter. So, with a pain that would haunt her until the present day, she took the crying suckling and drowned it beneath the calm clear surface of the water. She did not look away. The baby struggled mightily, but it wasn't long before it went limp under the weight of her hand. When the deed was done, when she was sure there was no life left, R'ka let loose a wail of pure pain and agony.

Now standing here holding this pup, she was rocked by the memory. Somewhere along the lines, she'd stopped holding him by his nape, and had brought him close to her chest. Little Mili allowed it with minimal struggle. The other one, Yeyinde she thought Kujhade had called him, was standing in front of her, watching her carefully as she handled his brother. After seeing that he had come to no harm, he reached for R'ka, wanting to be picked up as well. At first she hesitated. She shouldn't be here, and something inside her warned that time was growing short, but she could not resist it. Yeyinde reminded her of her third son which died during his chiva. She reached down and grabbed him up as well. Much to her own astonishment, she was purring at them both, and they began to babble to her in ooman language.

"Mama go, dada go!" Yeyinde said to her, while fiddling with his toy gauntlet. Mili nodded his agreement, and then began to do something R'ka recognized all too well. He began to click his mandibles closed along with a sucking sound from his inner mouth.

"You are hungry little one?" She asked, and they both nodded.

"Sei-i," they chorused and then they both made the same sound, looking at her expectantly. When she did not respond with food, Mili squirmed his way down. R'ka set him on his feet, and he ran to his babysitter who was just now coming to. He got to his knees and began to push her face. When that wasn't working fast enough, he put his face to hers, and began making that "I'm hungry" noise really loudly. The young female woke up angry. Her loud roaring startled Mili into silence, then into a cry of his own. It was that mewling noise, but instead of sounding like a domestic kitten, it sounded more like what a lion cub might do. He got up and ran, flopping himself face down into his bed pit and trying desperately to sooth himself by sucking on his hand. Following his brother's cue, Yeyinde also squirmed down running to flop next to his brother. They were not only hungry, but frustrated and confused, as the young female never stopped roaring and struggling to free herself.

"My clan leader will have your head for this! How dare you come to his home and.." she railed, as R'ka coolly squatted next to her and drew her wristblades again. She pointed them at the young female's face.

"Come to his home and what? I've done nothing, yet, but if you don't shut your pauk'de mouth, I can think of a great many things to do, none of them you will enjoy," R'ka warned. Defiantly, the young blood roared again, calling her bluff.

"Fine then," R'ka said, as she connected a large fist to the young pup's face once again.

She stared at her handiwork for a few seconds, before sitting all the way down on the floor next to the unconscious young yautja. What was she doing? At first, it had all seemed so clear and simple. She thought back on the events that led up to this confused and wretched moment.

Little more than a month ago, she had been invited aboard Thwei Nikhou'te's large clanship as a guest, along with the rest of her small clan. Her clan consisted of merely about thirty hunters in all. Most were male, but there were at least three other females aside from herself. The three days of merriment were a celebration of a successful chiva, of which the majority of the youngblood's had survived. One of them was the son of one of R'ka's clan members, and so they were all invited to join in the revelry. Everything was going fine, until R'ka's second on command, a hunter by the name of Anu, picked a fight with one of Thwei's clan brothers. It had been a simple matter about one's placement at the table of the large feast held in the survivor's honor. Anu was of lower rank than the hunter he was feuding with over who could sit where. R'ka was content to let it sort itself out as was the custom among her clan. She simply had no time to babysit the fragile tempers and egos of everyone, so she rarely inserted herself into arguments in order to quell them. If it came to blows then so be it, all that she demanded was that no permanent damage be done, and when it was all over, they would be clan mates again without a further word on the matter. Thwei on the other hand, exercised much more control over things of that nature. She supposed he had to since his clan was so large. Really, how else to assert dominance over everyone, unless you were that way all the time. Thwei ended up calming all involved with little more than a few growls and a shoving match. R'ka didn't mind. Anu had been in the wrong, and received proper chastisement, but things took a bad turn when Thwei deemed to insult R'ka as a clan leader.

"You did not speak a word R'ka. It is a wonder of the great Paya herself, that you have not been killed by your own clan for your weak leadership," he'd said to her, while staring at her from his place at the head of the long table.

"I do not take kindly to remarks about my leadership, Thwei Nikhou'te. You would do well to watch your tongue," she snapped back, and the large hall went deathly silent.

"You are a guest here, you insolent pup. Keep better control of your clan, unless you want me to do it for you," he retorted, and that was it. Before she could let a cooler head prevail, she had issued a challenge to him for control of her clan. She was sure she had what it took to win, but in the end, he proved why he was still the clan leader, even in his advanced age.

He stood over her defeated, kneeling form in the middle of the kehrite ring on his ship, the hushed gathering, watching things unfold with unease and disquiet. R'ka's clan members were visibly upset and angered, realizing that she had gambled with their fates as well as her own, and hating her for it. Thwei's wristblades were drawn and pressed painfully against her throat. One of his hands was entwined in her tendrils, pulling her head back at an awkward angle. Originally, he had meant to decapitate her and add her to his collection, but as he eyed her, a better idea formed in his mind. She was defeated, and her clan had been won. No need, he thought to himself, to waste such a female. R'ka came from good stock. Her brother Bakuub was well known among the clans, and well respected. She had birthed many a good pup, and she was still young and healthy. With that in mind, he suddenly withdrew his weapon, but still held her in position as he made an announcement.

"R'ka! I, Thwei Nikhou'te, elder of my clan and yours, have defeated you. Do you concede this defeat?" He asked, his voice booming throughout the kehrite. She stared hard at him, hatred filling her very core, but she could do nothing. She had been soundly beaten.

"Sei-i," she said reluctantly, never taking her eyes off of him, and wishing he would kill her, if to do nothing but end her humiliation. He nodded solemnly.

"As the victor, I have the right to name the spoils. I have taken your clan, and while it is customary to kill you, I feel there is a better way. I seek to sire one more suckling in the upcoming mating season. If you will agree to be its bearer, I will spare your life both now and after the suckling is born. In this way, your honor is to be preserved, and you will not be known as dishonorable. If you do not agree you will die now. If you run, I will hunt you and either you will fulfil your oath, or I will take your head for my wall. What is your answer?" He asked. This was followed by nervous clicking from the crowd. It was rare for something like this to happen, where there was a demand made for something other than death as the outcome to such a challenge.

This was almost worse than death, but perhaps she could buy some time. Speaking of time, she did not have much of that, in order to make a decision. As much as she hated to do it, she agreed to the mortifying terms of her loss.

"Sei-i, I will bear you a single suckling, but we will never be mates, and I will bear you no more, whether it lives or dies," she said. Thwei seemed to consider this. After a brief moment, he nodded his agreement, and released her from his grip.

She made nice as long as possible, but before the celebration was complete, she'd stolen a small vessel and fled the large clan ship. She'd found herself on Yaut Prime, minding her business until she saw Kujhade. It had been so long since she'd laid eyes upon the pale hunter. It was at that very moment, when a plan took root and solidified. He was her way out of this. Kujhade had always loved her, he'd said as much when they were younger, although she'd scoffed at it publicly. She would mate him, she would become pregnant, and that would preclude her having to birth a pup for Thwei. It would also save her life should he find her, and she knew that he would eventually. As fearsome as Thwei was, his honor was unquestionable, and he would have never killed a pregnant female. It was simple and perfect. She was taken aback by the rumor of his having a mate be substantiated. When she laid eyes on Jasmine, two feelings prevailed; anger and possessiveness. Jasmine was a lowly human, and she had the audacity to have attached herself to R'ka's male. That's who he was, that's who he had always been. No one else wanted him, so he was hers by default, and this little welp of a human woman couldn't take him away. Then there were the pups, and the albino pup especially. How could this filthy piece of prey, have the unmitigated gall to birth not one but two pups and keep them both?! She had done what R'ka herself could not, and that knowledge was eroding both her honor, and her emotional control. Now, it had all fallen apart. Somewhere along the line, Kujhade had formed actual feelings for this human, enough feelings that he had actually, physically assaulted her on his mate's behalf. It was humiliating. It was sobering. It had driven her to a sort of madness. It had almost driven her to become a bad blood had she done what she intended.

R'ka looked over at the twins who were still whining in hunger, and rubbing their eyes in sleepiness. She had to get out of here, but she wanted to do one more thing. R'ka stood up and searched around the small domicile. She found a little cooked meat, and scoffed. So, the human was at least able to properly feed a growing pup. She gathered a portion of the meal onto a small plate and came back to the younglings, who were still whining. When they scented the food in the air, they sat up straight, waiting to eat. R'ka squatted on her haunches and took some meat in her talons, feeding them from her hand. Each of the twins sniffed at her hand, but would not accept the food. She shoved it towards them, but they turned their faces away, refusing to eat from her. She growled at them, but that only made things worse. Mili slapped the plate hard enough to make her drop it, and Yeyinde followed that up with taking a little food and throwing it at her. Jasmine had long since figured out that they no longer liked to be hand fed, and that trying to usually led to a tantrum. Not expecting this reaction, R'ka thought it prudent to take a hand and press Yeyinde to the floor in an attempt to hold him still and make him eat. Seeing this as aggression, Mili gave a pretty good roar for a small pup and bit R'ka on the arm holding his brother. Angered now, more than she should have been at such a simple tantrum, R'ka took a hand and placed it over Mili's face and shoved him backwards. Crying now, he got up and bit her again. So focused was she on the two pups, that she did not hear the quiet whoosh of the door sliding open.

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They walked together in silence towards home. Jasmine had crossed her arms over her chest, walking with her head down, and her brow creased in thought. Kujhade was staring straight ahead, casting small glances at his mate as they walked. He wanted to say what he'd come back to say, but now he was thinking of the events that had just taken place. The words of the elder were still ringing in his ears. He had come close, dangerously close to losing his mate at least for a night. The thought, the very thought of Thwei pleasuring her threatened to send him in a frenzy. He would have faced him down, but in truth a victory was not at all a foregone conclusion when facing the likes of Thwei Nikhou'te. What if Kujhade had lost tonight? What if Jasmine hadn't said what she said? She certainly seemed enthralled by the elder when he came upon them. He was caressing her arm, speaking softly to her. So softly in fact, that even with his superior hearing, Kujhade couldn't hear anything that was said. Suddenly, Kujhade couldn't take it anymore. He had to at least try to get some things off his chest and his mind. He stopped abruptly, and grabbed Jasmine by the shoulder, gently turning her to face him.

With her arms still crossed in front of her, she peered up at him. His leaf green eyes bore down on her, and his mandibles worked slowly as if it took a lot of effort to form the words he so clearly wanted to say.

"Thwei Nikhou'te could have been a better mate, if we fought, and… if he defeated me for you," he said. Jasmine wasn't expecting that. Of all the things she imagined he would have said, this wasn't one of them.

"No, he couldn't have," she said simply. His eyes widened in shock. He stood silent, figuring something else to say.

"If you want another mate… you should always take the best mate Jasmine," he said, and his shoulders slumped ever so slightly as he spoke. She could see him struggling mightily with it. In his mind, he kept imagining what it would feel like to be forced to hear her moan some other male's name, to _know_ that a larger, stronger male was having her. He grumbled under his breath at the thought. What if he lost more than that? What if she had decided to go away with another male altogether? Kujhade didn't like this train of thought at all. She would leave, and then she would take his sucklings even, and then where would he be? He would be alone. All the old feelings that he had to tuck away and forget about, came roaring back. All the feelings about being rejected, and alone, and unwanted. She'd dispelled all those feelings. Jasmine had wanted him, truly wanted him. She placed her soft hand on his chest.

"Don't Kujhade. We've given enough "permissions". We don't need anymore. I said what I meant. I don't need to be fought over," she said. Looking up at his face, she thought about how she didn't want the short walk to end. She knew that when it did they would part ways, and even though it had been barely any time at all, she didn't know how long she could take not being in his presence. At that thought she pursed her lips, and asked a question of her own.

"What are you doing here anyway, I thought I sent you away on a time out?" She asked, poking his chest a little. He dipped his head like a puppy in trouble. If a predator could give puppy eyes, Kujhade was the very picture of it.

"Gone too long before, Jasmine. Can't leave again," he said in all sincerity. Jasmine gave a sly smile.

"What, scared you gonna lose me to old Elder Pimp-tastic back there? Huh, big boy? Is 'Jhade scared of losing lil old ooman Jasmine to somebody else?" She jabbed playfully, then faltered when she realized the look in his eyes. They had taken on that same look he had when he was about to hunt, and seize prey.

"Sei-i," he hissed out, and grabbed her by the shoulder again, pulling her into his body heat. His eyes held her to the spot. She couldn't stop looking into them, as he seemed to study her face and her reaction.

Did he just admit to being scared? He had never admitted to fear of any kind. Until now, Jasmine didn't think his kind could feel this sort of abstract fear. Things like being afraid of the unknown, or in this case afraid of losing someone.

"Were you really scared to lose me to him Kujhade?" Jasmine asked softly, the early jabs forgotten. He looked away briefly, his tusks clicking together thoughtfully. He gripped her even tighter, his claws just shy of breaking the skin. She winced a little, but didn't try to move away.

"Jasssmine. Ssomething to ssaayy," he growled out in English. It was maybe stupid of her, but her heart raced in anticipation anyway. Was he going to say what she hoped he would? She couldn't wait to hear whatever it was, fear and hope running a forty-yard dash from her heart to her stomach and back. He closed his eyes, preparing to say in his best English, the words she had repeated to him on countless occasion. He was about to speak. He'd gotten so far as to look her deep in the eyes, but then his head cocked to the side. Jasmine waited, but now it seemed like his attention had been drawn elsewhere. A low growl started in the back of his throat, as his eyes opened, blazing with something other than the tenderness he was showing before. She tried to step back, but his grip was too firm.

"Jhade?" She ventured, but he wasn't paying any attention to her anymore. The growling got more intense, as he was listening to something she couldn't hear.

"Jhade?" She tried again, but he gave a quiet bark which shut her up. Before she could react, he had picked her up and slung her over his shoulders in a fireman's carry, and started sprinting towards home.

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He put her down on wobbly legs, and slammed in the punch code to open the door. Not knowing what had sent him off, Jasmine stood behind him a little. Her concern was eating at her now. Had something happened to her children? What had him so agitated? Then she could hear it. Mili and Yeyinde were crying and growling, the familiar sounds of them throwing one of their world class temper tantrums. She tried to tell herself that there was nothing happening more sinister than that, but her mother's intuition was ringing all the alarm bells.

The door to their home slid open, and with a vicious snarl, Kujhade was inside and active, before Jasmine had a chance to truly absorb what she was seeing. On the floor near the door, their babysitter lay bound and… unconscious? Dead? Jasmine sure as hell hoped it was the former. Then there were her boys. She had never seen them in such a frenzy. They were each snarling and biting and thrashing, but not against each other. They were jumping on another yautja? This couldn't be right. Surely, her eyes deceived her. Her babies were literally going crazy, screaming, and crying, and growling to the top of their lungs now, completely out of control. Then, a feeling of pure hatred bloomed, like a poisonous flower. R'ka! They were all over her, and with good reason. She had one hand on Yeyinde, holding him down and attempting to shove something in his mouth. Mili was fighting for his little life seemingly, as he bit and scratched and jumped on her face. It all would have been comical, had it not been basically home invasion.

Jasmine observed all of this within the space of a few seconds. Kujhade, on the other hand, was already in action. He threw himself at her, knocking her to the floor even as Mili was trying to do the same. As soon as he was released, Yeyinde tried to scramble to his feet and launch his own attack, but Jasmine got to him first. He turned and hissed in her face, his mandibles stretched to the limit and his eyes were wild. He flailed, scratching her face and neck, not realizing who she was yet. With the other hand, she snagged Mili out of midair, as he tried to jump on R'ka again. He was also kicking and going wild, hissing and spitting like an infuriated alley cat. At this, Jasmine did her own version of a purr. She'd been practicing, doing her best impression of a cat. Now, she had occasion to use it, and it worked like a charm. Startled into silence, Yeyinde seemed puzzled. He cocked his little head to the side and for the first time, truly saw that he was in his mother's arms. Mili had the same reaction, and then they both reached for her, this time for comfort and affection. They began to make that high-pitched whine, and grabbed desperately around her neck, burying their faces. She could feel their little hearts pounding, but they were starting to settle down. She rocked them in the corner and made sure to turn them where they couldn't see what was happening now.

"I warned you of this! Now, I find you in my home, attacking my sucklings! What have you to say for yourself before I take your head from your body?!" Kujhade roared in her face.

She hadn't heard them come in, and so was completely caught off guard by the attack. Now, she found herself pinned under a furious Kujhade, his hand around her throat, a knee in her chest, and wrist blades poised in attack. As she looked into his eyes, she could not find the Kujhade she once knew. This was not the somewhat calm version, that was at her beck and call, and was always ready to be showered in her attentions. In his place, was only an arbitrator, ready to exact vengeance upon a perceived bad blood. How could she explain that she hadn't hurt them, that at this point, she had no intention of really bringing them to harm? How to explain her desperate situation? Even if she could, the pressure on her throat wouldn't have allowed her to speak in any case.

Kujhade withdrew his wristblades, and punched her in the face repeatedly. The first one broke an upper mandible. The others, she tried to block with her forearms. He could've killed her quickly, but Kujhade wasn't interested in quick and painless. He'd warned her, and she's promptly ignored it. Not even a single full rotation had passed before she was trying to make good on the threats she so casually leveled at his family. Now, he was only interested in teaching her a lesson for her insubordination. He lifted himself up, and pulled her to her feet as well. Before she could do or say anything else, Kujhade grabbed her in a headlock and dragged her outside. Once out of the home, he slung her down to the ground.

"Get up, bad blood," Kujhade said, his tone low and dangerous. Never taking her eyes from him R'ka rose unsteadily to her feet, but she did not take a defensive stance. The lack of fight, would not spare her from his anger.

"Not a bad blood," she managed, but instead of reaching through to him, the statement set him off.

He jumped on her, beating her with both fists all about the head and face. A small crowd was starting to gather, watching on for the inevitable conclusion. Inside the house, Jasmine was thankful that Kujhade had taken this outside. Sufficiently calmed enough to allow her to function, Jasmine soothed the boys and sat them in their bed pit after clearing away the mess of food and sauce. With her blade, she hurriedly cut the young female loose and roused her. She sat up, getting her wits about her quickly, and Jasmine could tell she was both ashamed and angry.

"Please, forgive me. I did not protect the younglings, I…" Jasmine shushed her.

"It's okay beautiful, they're fine. They aren't hurt. Are you alright?" Jasmine asked, seeing the bruising on the young girl's face, and the swelling around her mandibles.

"Only my honor is wounded. Did our clan leader kill her? She is a bad blood, he should dispose of her," she said as she got to her feet and headed out upon hearing the commotion.

"She is nothing more than a bad blood!" The young blood yelled, itching to join in but not daring interfere with what was now arbitrator business. Not wanting to leave her children, but also not wanting to miss what was happening, Jasmine settled for looking out of the large window. The anger was still there and growing. How dare she?! Having her man wasn't enough, she had to do something to her children as well. So many horrible scenarios played in her mind. Had it not been for Kujhade being able to hear what she couldn't, who knows what they would have come back to? Jasmine took small solace in the fact that her children were not hurt. It was more likely, they had simply interrupted her before she could do anything further. Jasmine couldn't help but wonder about it, managing to work herself up. She was however getting some satisfaction out of watching him beat the living shit out of R'ka.

Jasmine turned back to the twins who were popping their tusks in hunger and looking towards the small kitchen area. Quickly, Jasmine prepared the rest of the leftover meal from earlier, and set a plate down in front of them to share. Contented, the boys began to eat ravenously, starting to talk to each other with a mouthful of food. Satisfied that they were alright at least for now, Jasmine went outside and closed the door behind her. She was looking at a massacre. Florescent green blood flowed freely from R'ka's head and body, and it was all over the ground and Kujhade's fists. He was beating her to death with his bare hands. Jasmine had witnessed Kujhade make plenty of kills over the past two years, but she had never seen him in the grips of a bloodlust as he was now. This was some scary shit. Kujhade wasn't forming words, and there didn't seem to be any technique to the fight. This was full of simple, unbridled rage, and coming from the likes of him, it was beyond frightening. R'ka was in horrible shape. Her arm dangled at an unnatural angle, her face was unrecognizable, and she was covered in her own blood. Suddenly, the anger Jasmine was feeling turned into pity. The children were not harmed ultimately. She could understand administering an ass-kicking, and she'd planned on getting in a few shots of her own off general principle, but now it seemed almost unjustified. As much as Jasmine felt that R'ka needed to have her ass handed to her, she had to stop this.

"Kujhade, that's enough!" Jasmine yelled out. She was thoroughly surprised that his fist hung in midair. He seemed to be waiting on her to continue. Perhaps to give him one good reason not to finish the job.

"We know she's a bad blood, but what about your honor? The children are fine, she didn't actually hurt them," she continued. He didn't move or make any other acknowledgment, but he also hadn't continued the gruesome assault.

"Remember what Elder Thwei said? He was looking for her, so maybe we should, I don't know, call him or something," she said nervously. There was a lot of clicking and grunting going on aimed at her from the crowd. She'd done something that one simply did not do, and that was interfere in an arbitrator's work. After a tense moment, Kujhade did lower his fist. R'ka was on her knees before him, unable to stop him one way or another. With an irritated huff, Kujhade took a length of cable and tied her hands and feet. He then checked his wrist gauntlet, apparently seeking the location of, and then contacting the Elder.

He never spoke a word to Jasmine or anyone else as they waited. He had meant to beat R'ka beyond submission, but once again Jasmine was correct. The beating was close to approaching overkill, and the boundary of his own honor lay just beyond the threshold. As an arbitrator, he could not be seen as one that administered unfair levels of punishment in view of the crimes committed. He was tremendously grateful that his pups had not been harmed, and that stayed his hand as well. However, this did not rescind her status as a bad blood now. She had not only leveled a threat, but had unlawfully entered the home of an arbitrator and a clan leader. She had also assaulted one of his clan-mates unprovoked and had laid hands on his children, whether she hurt them or not. Not to mention, that there was some sort of issue between her and Thwei Nikhou'te that seemed unresolved. So, they all waited, with Kujhade standing over a kneeling, and very injured R'ka.

About twenty or thirty minutes later, Thwei Nikhou'te strode through the crowd, and approached Kujhade. He gave a brief look of surprise upon assessing the scene, and then growled low in his throat at R'ka. Kujhade didn't waste any time getting to the point.

"Elder Thwei," he greeted. No need to forget your manners. Thwei gave a greeting nod in return.

"Tell me, what is the nature of your business with R'ka?" Kujhade asked, but it was not a question. It was a command, and one that Elder Thwei would certainly heed. He addressed Kujhade clearly.

"Arbitrator. About a month before, R'ka and her clan were guests upon my clanship. We had gathered to celebrate an unusually successful chiva. During that time, R'ka challenged me to a death duel, with control of her clan as the prize. I won that battle, but instead of killing her as was my right, I decided to come to different terms. She agreed to birth me a suckling this mating season. In this way, she could retain both her life and her honor, and the clan would be mine, as well as the suckling," he told. Kujhade seemed to consider this.

"And, how is it that she came to be here rather than with you?" He asked. This would answer quite a few questions for him personally.

"She ran. It was dishonorable. I warned her that if she left, I would hunt her. She would either submit to the deal, or I would take her head, but it seems as if you have beaten me to it on some account," the Elder stated, casting a disapproving look at R'ka, who could not bring herself to look him in the eyes.

"It seems, you have not been able to heed any warnings for some time," Kujhade directed at R'ka, although he didn't seem to require a response. However, it didn't surprise him that he received on anyway.

"I could not bring myself to birth his pup. He says he seeks to preserve my honor, but he only wants to further humiliate me. Killing me would have preserved my honor more. At least, I would have died in battle," she said, her words muffled by her inability to move her mandibles as much as was required. Kujhade considered these words even more, the pieces falling together for him. He grumbled, and tightened his grip on her shoulder.

"So, you sought to use me. You would become impregnated by me, and that way you could live and not have to honor a deal you accepted," Kujhade said, the words stinging his heart as he spoke them. She never really wanted him. All this strife between he and his true mate, cause by his own inner turmoil and a female who was only seeking gain for herself. He resisted the urge to pummel her all over again. Suddenly, a chuckle filled the air.

"Finally, you come to the heart of it. Did you think that I could ever want a pup of yours again? You were here, and you were willing, like you always were Kujhade. I knew that I could have you, no matter if you had a mate or not, which I must admit, it surprised me that you did. Then again, she doesn't know any better than to birth pups for you," she said, coughing up blood which cut off her cackling.

Jasmine was incensed! All this was just some game to this bitch! She was sitting here laughing about it, while Jasmine and Kujhade were left to pick up the pieces. With her earlier pity gone, Jasmine marched forward and stood in front of R'ka. Her fists were balled, and a nice vein had made an appearance on her forehead.

"You fucking bitch," Jasmine said, the words dripping with hateful venom. Elder Thwei took a step back, and gave Kujhade an appreciative look. Kujhade had to stop the swell of pride in his chest from showing on his face.

"First, you come in here and try to take my man from me, challenging me for him when you knew we were life mates. Then, you come to my home. MY HOME! Where my family sleeps, and where my children play with their toys! Now you sit here and have the fucking gall to laugh like it's all a joke?! I shouldn't have stopped him from killing you. You fucking deserve everything you got," Jasmine said, barely restraining herself from attacking. R'ka looked up at her with one good golden eye shining with mirth.

"Shouldn't have stopped me, but you did because you're weak. You are a weak little.." she was about to say, but before she could get the words out, she caught one of Jasmine's boots to the face.

It was a very quick movement, that no one was expecting. She was following it up, with a knife strike. The Elder moved to grab Jasmine and pull her back, but before he could get a good grip, Jasmine had managed to sever two more tendrils from R'ka's head.

"Two more for the road, you baldheaded bitch!" She said, as she struggled in the Elder's mighty grip. He took the opportunity to draw Jasmine close, and released a very low purr to calm her. It worked immediately, even as Kujhade let off a warning growl at Thwei. Jasmine wrenched out of Thwei's grip, and stalked back off to the sideline. She wasn't satisfied by a longshot, but decided that she should allow Kujhade to handle this as his title demanded. He had to show others what to expect from him in such a position, and having his wife fight his battle didn't help. Now that that was over, it was time to make a decision.

"Elder Thwei, I will allow you to decide. Do you wish to give her the chance to regain her honor by accepting your terms?" Kujhade asked. Thwei stepped forward and bent down to eye-level with R'ka. He looked her over for a moment before he spoke.

"You will bear this suckling as was agreed?" He asked her, giving her more than a fair chance. She looked him in the eye as best she could. She wanted to say something, but that stupid ooman had managed to break the lower jaw of her inner mouth, and she couldn't do anymore talking. Thwei seemed satisfied that she had not said no. He really didn't like to see a female such as this go down this route. He was hoping she would make the only sane decision. R'ka lifted her chin as if to answer, but instead hawked a big spit in Thwei's face, followed up by a look of pure hatred and defiance. The elder didn't react immediately. He simply stood up slowly to his full height, and wiped the spittle from his face. He gave Kujhade a very pleasant click, and a nod.

"She has sealed her own fate, arbitrator. Do as you must," the elder stated then turned and walked away, cape flowing behind him in dramatic fashion.

With widened eyes, R'ka looked up at Kujhade. She was hoping beyond hope, that due to her lack of having harmed his younglings, he would have mercy. His leafy green eyes told her a different story. Unlike before, they were not full of unspoken, and unrequited emotional turmoil. His eyes tonight were very clear, and very hard, and in them she could see the Black Hunter. She struggled to say something, to offer some last words, but she could only hear the faint scrape of his blades exiting their metal housing. With a handful of her abused tendrils, he held her head back to expose her throat. There seemed only the slightest moment of hesitation, but then the finality of his look returned. The matter was settled. She would not close her eyes against it. Her mind was still thinking of what she wanted to say, even as his blade sliced cleanly and silently through her neck.

With her severed head in his left hand, Kujhade kicked her twitching body over in disdain, and held her head aloft. He made eye contact with a few of the yautja's standing there, and then let loose a long and powerful roar. While they did not quite shrink away, many dipped their heads in submission to his authority. Without needing to be told, Jasmine understood this display. It was the second kill he'd done as an arbitrator, but unlike Setg'in, R'ka had been well-respected literally earlier in the day. Becoming a bad blood could happen just that quickly, and Kujhade's authority and decision on the matter was neither to be questioned nor challenged. It was such, that only the matriarch could override him, and this was now understood by all without any dissent. The message was quite clear; no one was above the code of honor. Not even one such as R'ka. Everyone knew or had at least heard of the history between these two, and they knew it was a long and sordid one. There was no friendship or title you could hold that would stay his hand if you were guilty beyond doubt, and now they knew it. Word would spread of the deed, and thus Kujhade's legacy as an arbitrator began.

* * *

 **A/N: So, are we satisfied? She played the card she thought she could play until the bitter end. I know most of you might have wanted Jasmine to administer the ass-whooping, but I thought it more befitting Kujhade to do it. Not only because of his title, but because of their history. I think it meant more this way.**

 **Did you like little Mili and Yeyinde's fighting? I love how feisty they are even as little babies. Leave it to extra aggressive toddlers to take a temper tantrum all the way to the next level, lol. She was petty as hell too, because how does an adult get into it with some babies? Anyway, the next chapter will take us back to Earth for a little bit.**


	13. Commute

This was the second night on the streets. Marcus thought about crashing at a friend's house or something, but didn't want everyone at school to know his business. Without having any other real alternatives, he decided that he would regularly attend school. At least it was something to do for eight hours out of the day, and a single meal; two if he got there early enough for breakfast. The events leading to his homelessness wouldn't stop playing in his mind. It made concentrating difficult, and sleeping nearly impossible. He'd gone to school earlier, and now at a little past 2:00 am, he found himself aimlessly riding the train. It was never truly empty, but it wasn't crowded either, and he could find a little peace to nod off. You could never get any honest-to-goodness sleep on a train simply because you had to still watch yourself. Before boarding the train an hour before, he stopped to get a burger from McDonald's. Thank goodness for the $1 menu, or he'd be truly up shit's creek without a paddle. Marcus wasn't a fan of the fast food joint, but when you were suddenly faced with having to handle all your expenses from a steadily dwindling $60, you stopped being picky. He reached into his bag to retrieve the burger and cold fries and took a few bites. Across the car, a homeless man was staring at him and licking his lips as he watched Marcus eat the cheeseburger. Marcus rolled his eyes, then got up and handed the man the last half of the sandwich. Without a thank you or anything, the man began to inhale the food. Marcus didn't begrudge him the lack of manners. Honestly, the guy looked like he had gone quite a while without food. At the next stop, Marcus got off. It was the Lexington and 63rd street stop, not too far from Central Park. Maybe he would walk around a little until he felt like getting back on the train.

 _You could stop being a stubborn ass and go to detective Jimenez's house._

"Nope," Marcus answered himself, stubbornly.

Once the train stopped, he stepped off and was immediately assaulted by a horrible stench.

"What the fuck?" He said in disgust, covering his nose and mouth with the sleeve of his hoodie. There were only a few other people on the platform with him, all of them scrunching their noses.

"It's been getting' worse every day," a middle-aged man ventured to say before returning to busying himself on his phone. Without answering, Marcus took the stairs two at a time, until he got out, taking a deep breath of fresh air once he emerged from the subway.

He had only walked about a half block from the subway entrance before he came upon two cops parked. Pulling his hood over his head, and jamming his hands in his pockets, he tried to avoid their eye contact and hurry past. He almost made it too, until he heard the door of the police cruiser open and the authoritative voice of one of the officers.

"Hey, young man! Stop! I wanna ask you some questions," the passenger side officer yelled out.

Keeping his pace, Marcus didn't stop. He was afraid that his mother had maybe reported him. Perhaps, they were just stopping him because he was a young black male with a hoodie on, roaming around in the early morning. Whatever the case, with the police was the last place he really wanted to be. What if they try to pin the murder on him? With that thought in mind, Marcus hurriedly tried to turn into the park area, but then he saw the headlights shining behind him. He thought about running, but what good would that do? So, instead of making matters even worse, he simply turned around.

"What?" He asked, annoyed. They got out of the car, hands on the butt of their guns and approaching slowly.

"Just hold it right there young man. We just wanna know where you're going this time of night," the driver asked. Marcus rolled his eyes but didn't answer.

"Hey, take your damn hands outta your pockets and put 'em where we can see 'em," the passenger cop demanded. Carefully, Marcus did as he was told.

"Now, my partner asked you a question. Where are you going this time of night?" He asked.

"Let me see some ID," the other one shot right after.

"None of your business where I'm going. I ain't gotta tell you that," he retorted.

"You gonna give us a lot of fuckin' mouth, or you gonna cooperate?" passenger cop asked again. He came up close and grabbed one of Marcus' wrists. Quickly, with a hand on his wrist and one on the back of the hoodie, passenger cop shoved him towards the hood of the cruiser. Before he knew it, he was pushed and made to bend forward on the hood.

"What the fuck my nigga?" Marcus complained, as the officer began to pat him down.

"I ain't ya nigga, I ain't ya boy, or ya dawg, or whatever the hell you young thugs like to say," the cop replied. He kicked Marcus' feet apart so that he could perform a full frisk. He pulled the wallet from his pocket, and tossed it to his partner who immediately started searching it. He pulled out the state ID, and compared the picture to the young man. Seeming satisfied, they began to search his duffel bag.

"You got any drugs in here? I know you got some weed in here. What do they call it now?" Passenger cop asked his partner. The cop smirked as he looked at Marcus.

"Kush. Who the fuck knows why," he replied and chuckled. Marcus pressed his lips together.

"I don't smoke weed," he answered. The two cops passed an amused look between themselves.

"Listen to that, he don't smoke weed. You smoke whatever we say you smoke. We could find enough weed in that bag to put your little gangbanging ass away for a little while, so don't fucking try me, got that?" The first cop warned darkly. Marcus shook his head.

"Y'all worse than white cops," he said, remarking on the fact that cop one was black, and passenger cop looked Mexican.

"Hey, shut the fuck up!" Passenger cop stepped in to say. He'd finished searching the bag, and had gotten into Marcus' face.

"You got a lot of clothes and shit in that bag, where you coming from?" He asked. Marcus was about to think up something else smart to say, until one of the cops started yelling at someone else.

"Stand back and stop filming this," he commanded to someone. Marcus looked around to find that a few people had stopped and at least a couple had gotten their phones out and were recording. He smiled and shook his head, knowing that if it got any more exciting than this, he'd find himself on YouTube.

"I said get back!" Passenger cop yelled again, starting to move towards the few people. The one's filming were protesting and arguing about how they had a right to film it. It might have gotten a little more heated, until a woman's scream ripped through the air, making everyone turn in her direction.

It was an older lady, a little overweight, kind of short, and she was hightailing it away from the subway entrance. The police tried to stop her, and she almost ran past them, until passenger cop nearly had to tackle her to make her stop.

"Whoa, whoa, hold on," he said but she was hysterical.

"Lemme go! Lemme go! Los diablos negros!" She screamed and finally wrenched herself from his grasp. She fell down to one knee, scuffing her jeans, and then clumsily made it to her feet again, and started running.

"What the fuck!" Marcus heard one of the people recording say, while laughing at the whole thing. Even Marcus was starting to chuckle a little until the sound of gunshots rang out from the subway, followed by people screaming. With Marcus forgotten, the two cops quickly shoved his bag at him, and began calling in the commotion on their radios. They drew their guns, and warned everyone to stay back.

Marcus got himself together, and put his bag back on. He glanced over at the people filming. One guy actually did start making his way out of there, but the younger man was still smiling, reveling in the good footage he was capturing. More cautiously than the guy filming, Marcus did make he was to the subway, still a good distance behind the two cops, who had already made it back to the entrance and were descending the stairs.

Halfway down, the hairs on the back of Marcus' neck stood on end. He should have listened to the cops when they warned them to stay back, but he didn't think there would be anything too serious happening. He was wrong. The two police had hopped the turnstiles, and Marcus along with the other young man followed suit. The smile on the other young man's face slowly fell as they entered the platform. The smell nearly made them both gag, and Marcus once again covered half his face with his sleeve.

"What the hell is that man? Smells like feet and ass crack" the young man said, and Marcus couldn't help a snort of laughter from escaping.

"I don't know but it stinks, bad," came his muffled reply. Casting his eyes all around the platform and subway tunnel, all laughter ceased for both young men. There were not many people there, but what few were, had huddled at the far end away from the exits. They were looking all around, scared out of their minds, and every once in a while, they pointed up. Only one man was standing in the middle of the platform with a gun drawn.

"This is the police! Put down your weapon, NOW!" The cops screamed as they raised their own guns. The man with the gun only looked over his shoulder, but otherwise did not comply. He had his feet spread, both hands on his gun, and was poised to shoot.

"I said put the gun down! Put your hands up were we can see 'em!" They ordered again, but again the man did not respond. Something caught his attention on the wall, and he raised his gun to shoot at it.

Everything after that happened within the space of a few seconds. When the man took aim, the police immediately opened fire, and dropped him. Passenger cop stood with his weapon trained on the man, as the driver cop rushed forward towards where he fell. The people on the far end of the platform began to scream and try to move, but there was another, louder screech that reverberated through the tunnel, and one of the small group of five or six people was snatched backwards. Marcus could hear that person scream as the sound faded away. Just then, the sound of an approaching train rumbled through the tunnel. The platform was very well lit, but despite that, Marcus had a difficult time pinpointing the thing on the wall which seemed to zero in on him. The people at the far end were running towards the exit, but they wouldn't make it. The thing on the wall, which Marcus quickly realized was but one of many 'things', jumped onto the platform right onto a middle-aged man. The police officers opened fire hitting whatever it was, but not killing it. Another one of those things jumped on the firing officer and brought him down.

At the sight of it all, Marcus' feet finally received the message from his brain that he should run. The other guy must've got the same message, because they looked at each other briefly, before turning to run. Just as they turned, one of those things that Marcus refused to even try to figure out, had grabbed his smartphone toting friend. Without looking back, Marcus was trying to take the stairs two-by-two, but felt himself being hauled backwards. The other young man had grabbed Marcus by the hood, and it was choking him. He tried to wiggle out of his clothes but that was a futile effort as he fell on his back down the concrete steps. Even as he landed on the platform, he was still being pulled back. He tried to right himself or at least turn around but it was no use. Finally, he stopped although he felt the young man still holding on. Frantically, Marcus turned and was horrified to realize that only a hand was holding him. The owner of the hand was gone. Quickly he took the hand and threw it. Behind him he heard a loud screech, and without having to look back, knew it was one of those monster things. Scrambling on his hands and knees, he made it to the place where the first man had been shot by the cops. He searched the man, eyes wide and breath coming in short panicked bursts. Finally, he found the gun and pried it from the man's hands. He turned around quickly, but saw nothing. Just then, the trained pulled into the station, and the few people filed out of it, slowly becoming aware that there were dead bodies in the station. A woman was the first to scream, and realization dawned on all those who had exited the train.

The next few nightmarish moments seemed to happen in slow motion. As the people began to see that something was very wrong, a few of them turned back towards the train. Some of them tried to run up the stairs but were caught from behind, and either killed or hauled off. Something in his gut told him that if he had to choose, that being killed outright was the way to go. He fumbled with the gun in his hand, as the original owner began to rouse. The man rose to a sitting position, and felt his chest. Marcus was too busy trying to look everywhere at once, to notice that the man had on a bulletproof vest. The cops had shot, but it had only knocked him on his ass. Groggy hands reached for the gun now in Marcus' possession.

"My glock…," the man said. With wide eyes, and the mounting screams of terror serving as gruesome background music, Marcus snatched away and turned towards the man, pointing the gun at him.

He was a handsome, fair-skinned young man, with a few tattoos on his face. He seemed a gangbang, or even an Aryan Brotherhood type, but Marcus could neither be sure, nor did he care. It didn't take the man long to get his wits. Quickly, he nabbed a 9mm which had belonged to a cop moments ago, and tossed it to Marcus. He caught it, and the man recovered his own gun when Marcus dropped it.

"Looks like it's me and you," the young man said and got back on his feet, immediately taking shots. Marcus had never shot a gun before, but then he had also never been attacked by monsters before. He stood to his feet and got in position as well. He knew nothing of guns really, but he knew the safety should be off, and when he glanced, he made sure that it was.

Time seemed to slow as he took stock of the scene again. There was blood everywhere. The platform was covered in large smears, going in all directions. On the tracks, there was one of those things savagely attacking some poor soul. On the train he heard screams but couldn't see anyone. He looked back over at the tracks to find that he had been spotted by one of those things. In complete and total fear, Marcus squeezed off a few shots. He wasn't ready for the kickback which was thankfully very little. He didn't know if he had hit it or missed, but he knew it hadn't stopped coming. His feet seemed covered in blocks of hardened concrete as he tried to backpedal. He let off a few more shots, only vaguely conscious of the fact that he would need to reload soon, but didn't have a clip.

"Duck!" He heard from somewhere far away, and simply did it without thinking much on it. Shots rang close to his ear, and the black monster came skidding to a halt just a few feet from him. He looked in amazement at it, as it began to smoke, and unbelievably seemed to _sink_ into the platform.

"C'mon! Get ya shit together!" The young man said, the last word coming out sounding like 'togeva'. He was shaking like a leaf in a high wind, but he would indeed have to get his shit together if he wanted to live.

Just then, the train began to rattle out of the station. He spotted one of the things coming in from overhead, crawling along the ceiling of the tunnel like some sort of monstrous bug. He then decided that that's exactly what they looked like; some over-sized, horrific bug. It hissed loudly, with drool pouring from its mouth. It saw them, but made no move to come towards them, yet. Marcus was about to turn and say something to his de-facto partner, when a loud crash echoed through the subway, and the platform shook underneath his feet.

"Oh shit!" The other young man exclaimed, as they both looked towards the sound. The train had apparently derailed somehow. Marcus began to shake his head in total negation of everything that had happened since he came back down those godforsaken steps. He began to smell something like fuel in the air. He felt more than heard the crackle of too much electricity buzzing all around them. He heard a series of loud pops, like firecrackers going off in a line on the fourth of July, then the lights flickered once. He and the young man traded nervous glances. Marcus only had a moment to notice the incredible depth of emerald green in the young man's eyes before the lights went out completely.

[][][][][]

It was relatively quiet. All that Marcus could hear was his own ragged breath, and the breath of his comrade. They eased themselves back-to-back, in a seated position. In the darkness, with the lights only sputtering in and out briefly, he could hear the groaning of metal against metal. The derailed train was trying to settle into an unnatural position within the tunnels. It couldn't have been crowded, but he could hear the people screaming in shock, horror, or pain. Whether the pained cries were from the train accident or from the bug monsters, Marcus couldn't tell.

"Hey, what's ya name son?" Came the voice of the man behind him, and Marcus had to fight not to jump clear out of his skin.

"Marcus. You?" He managed, the conversation working a small miracle on his nerves.

"Aiden, yeah I know, moms was trippin. Call me Astro," he replied.

"Astro?"

"Yeah, cause I'm always high. My boy called me an astronaut cause of that, so Astro stuck," he said, and Marcus could hear him smiling. Maybe he was trying to calm himself too.

"Aight, Astro. We gotta get the fuck up outta here," Marcus said. He felt Astro nod. He was about to say something else, maybe ask how all this shit started until a series of screeches stopped them. They each perked up, listening.

There was a short hissing screech coming from the one overhead. A few seconds later, there was another similar sound coming from the trainwreck, followed by another a little further down the empty track, and then another from closer than Marcus liked to think about. Then, there were a few pregnant moments of silence, before another longer shriek answered from much deeper within the subway. Marcus couldn't help a shiver from shooting down his back. They were talking, communicating with one another.

"Get ready," Astro said, the words barely audible. Marcus tensed, trying to be ready for anything. Shakily he fidgeted in his pocket and got out his phone, thankful not to have ran down the battery too much. He fumbled a second, cursing that it was such a large phone, but finally turned on the flashlight.

Just then an alarm went off from the train, likely signaling that there had been an accident. At the same exact time, a chorus of screams erupted from the train and they could both hear the hurried footfalls of what had to be fifty people altogether, trying to run for the exit. Astro jumped to his feet, Marcus instinctively following his lead, and started to squeeze off more shots.

"C'mon you motherfuckers!" He screamed, the adrenaline that comes from fight-or-flight taking hold.

Marcus tried to spot the creatures around him with the bright flashlight. He spotted people running down the tracks. He then recalled that these things could climb walls. Frantically, he looked up and just in time. He exhaled through his nose. Even in the darkness, he could more-or-less focus on the obsidian creature running full tilt at him. He uttered his own guttural cry, and with a steadier hand than he would have ever imagined having, Marcus squeezed the trigger. He hit it once, twice, missed, hit it a third time, but it was still coming. He shot it again, sure that he had at least wounded it, but it was upon him anyway. A pain unlike any that he'd ever experienced before, ripped through his shoulder, and raced down his arm. He could feel the warmth of his own blood pour down his chest, wetting his t-shirt and hoodie.

"Noooo!" He yelled as he tried to shoot at it again. He felt himself being pulled off the platform. He kicked and tried to grab hold to anything, and finally caught the leg of a bench which had been bolted to the floor. His phone skidded across the floor, casting light in every direction, like a demented disco ball. Somehow, it added to the horror of it all. He caught a glimpse of Astro, still standing, screaming curses, and reloading his glock. A screech rent the air right next to his ear, temporarily deafening him. Now his nightmare was being played out like a silent film, with only the buzzing ring of his poor ear drum as the soundtrack. He felt a sharp dig into his midsection as something wound itself around him. Marcus' heart kicked into high gear, and his body was flooded with an absurd amount of adrenaline. He was going to die. It hadn't killed him yet, which meant it was trying to take him somewhere, and that thought sent another adrenaline dump through his system. The creature dug its claws deeper into his shoulder. He ground his teeth and kicked with all his might, but it was like kicking a stone wall; a living, very pissed off stone wall. The tail unwound and grasped his ankle instead. This allowed some movement, and Marcus turned to see his tormentor up close. It was horrible, and a sight he would never forget for the rest of his life, assuming that there _was_ a rest of his life. It had turned its back, ready to simply drag him along, but when Marcus kicked again, it faced him. To his great terror, it opened its mouth and a second set of jaws jutted out, cutting clean through his calf muscle. Marcus groaned, nearly foaming at the mouth from the pain. He dared not let go of the leg of the bench, and his other arm was nearly useless. He was holding the gun in his hand, but by a thread only, as his hand shook uncontrollably. It reared back ready to stab him again, but he knew he couldn't take that. Marcus let go of the bench, and was instantly pulled towards the edge of the platform. The thing shrieked again, angry that its quarry wasn't exactly cooperating. It yanked hard, grabbing hold again with its claws in the same place. Marcus was dimly aware that his arm may well never work again, and was afraid that it might actually fall off. With trembling fingers, he dropped the gun. He looked up into the maw of the monster that had him, the drool coating his face. He shut his eyes in disgust, not seeing its upper lip quiver and the threat of its second mouth. With his working hand, he searched in vain for the lost weapon. The monster hissed viciously, before turning to haul him off again. Marcus finally dropped onto the tracks, hitting the back of his head on the dirty ground, just missing one of the metal rails. The impact rattled his teeth, but he barely had time to think, before they began to pick up speed.

He was losing hope, and about to lose his life. With one last desperate attempt. He reached out for the gun that lay somewhere amidst the gravel and trash. His fingers brushed against something hard, and he immediately snatched it up. In the darkness, he didn't need to see it to feel the familiar shape of a firearm. He grasped it in his good hand, hoping that he had at least a few more rounds. More confident in Marcus' capture, the creature once again grabbed hold of Marcus with its tail, releasing his shoulder and starting its bleeding all over again. There was no time now. Slowly, his hearing was returning, but he didn't welcome the sound. It was a symphony of death, from which he was quickly receding. The monster who had him, had opted for the empty tunnel, and the darkness was becoming more absolute. Marcus could hear the blare of the alarm, and faintly the gathering of more people. Cavalry, but not for him. He would need to make his own way, save his own ass. Positioning the gun in his hand, Marcus dared to twist his body to take better aim. It hissed again, annoyed that his weight had shifted, but otherwise did not stop. They were turning a corner, and the foul stench increased tenfold. This time, Marcus couldn't stop his stomach from emptying its meager contents. He threw up all over himself, and it must have bothered the thing holding him, because it slowed down. Perhaps it wanted to know what kind of hot, liquid substance had gotten on it. This was the only opportunity he would get, and deep down Marcus knew that if he did not at least try something now, he would die a brutal, torturous death. With gun in shaky hand, Marcus trained it upon his inhuman attacker. At this close range, there was no way he should miss. Apparently recognizing the threat upon its life, the creature finally decided it should end Marcus' since he wasn't going to go quietly. It brought its large head forward, and he knew the second mouth was next. Without thinking about the next steps or anything else, Marcus squeezed the trigger, firing five shots. At point blank range, he shouldn't have missed and he didn't. Each shot found its mark in the middle of that large head, right between the eyes if it had any to speak of. A snarling hiss died in its throat as it dropped him from its tail. The blood from it had splattered and little dots of it began to burn through his clothing and the skin on his hands. With his brain registering that he was burning now, Marcus frantically removed his blood soaked hoodie, screaming to the top of his lungs for having to move his shoulder. He wiped all the burning spots until they went from five alarm fire, to a dull cigarette burn. The backs of his hands were hit the hardest, but only a few splatters were on his thighs and lower leg. The thing lay dead, its blood pooling slowly around it, as it began to smolder beneath the beast.

In shock, Marcus made it to his feet, moaning and groaning at every movement. He touched a hand to his stomach, not surprised to find it bleeding. The tail must have dug into his midsection harder than he thought. His shoulder was his biggest concern as far as injury, followed by his ruptured calf muscle, but he really needed to make it out of this tunnel. Starting to trudge his way back, stumbling and dragging his injured leg as he became increasingly lightheaded. He tried his best to keep his bad arm from swinging, the pain shooting up and down with even the slightest movements. In the near distance, he could hear what he thought was Astro, still cursing, but there seemed to be no more shooting. Marcus grinned as he came back, slowly but surely reaching the platform. Some long-buried survivor's instinct told him not to make his presence known just yet. He leaned against the wall, as much for physical support as it was an effort to hide himself. After what seemed forever, he got to the edge of the yellow service steps leading up to the platform. He took two or three wobbly steps up and peered around the edge of the wall.

Emergency personnel. There were police and a gaggle of EMT's on the scene. Some of the cops seemed to be trying to herd those still alive, into the waiting arms of the ambulance, while yet others were trying to question the survivors. Astro was among those being questioned and detained. He was cuffed, and was also cursing out the officer who was trying to talk to him.

"I told you, I didn't kill no cops, what're you fucked in the head?" He screamed into the face of a very angry, confused officer.

"Well who the fuck did it, and don't tell me shit else about some fuckin' boogeyman outta the sewers neither! You shot those cops, and one's missin, now tell me the truth!" The cop yelled, spittle flying from his mouth in a rage. Astro simply frowned, apparently unwilling to speak anymore, if the officer couldn't at least be civil.

Marcus furrowed his brow. He didn't know Astro, but the man had saved his ass, and he owed him. He had his own shit to worry about, but that didn't change the facts. In any case, he couldn't just stand there. He needed medical attention and badly. Marcus sagged against the railing, barely keeping himself from falling over back onto the tracks. He tried to listen for the monster bugs, but couldn't hear them.

 _They're gone. You know they're gone, because they're too smart to get caught like this,_ he thought to himself, he somehow knew he was 100% correct.

Having the presence of mind to inconspicuously drop the gun, and then kick it a little bit into a dark trashy corner, he finally made his way into the light. Now that he could see it, his stomach was bleeding profusely, and he didn't want to turn his head to see his ruined shoulder. Moving his neck was difficult anyway, since there must have been a ton of damage to his deltoids, and maybe even his trapezius muscles as well.

"Hey," he croaked out. A couple of the EMT's and the cop interrogating Astro turned to him.

"He didn't… he didn't kill no cops," he said, and that got the cop's full attention. He rose to his full height. He looked no more than about 6'1" and he was a burly man, with ruddy cheeks. He came partially barreling towards Marcus, who hadn't the strength to back away. The cop grabbed Marcus' injured shoulder, but drew back abruptly both at his horrendous scream, and the slick of blood now on his hand. The pain buckled his knees, and he fell heavily to them. The cop stepped back and motioned for help.

"Get over here, this kid needs help!" He bellowed as two ladies came to his aid. As he was made to sit on the bench that he'd held onto for dear life not ten minutes before, he gave Astro a quick nod. It was returned in kind. Soon a gurney was brought over, and they lifted him onto it. Quickly, they ran an IV, and gave him something that he assumed was for his pain. Soon, he was going in and out of consciousness.

[][][][][]

Marcus opened his eyes. The first thing he saw was the bright overhead light above him. He turned his head painfully to the right towards his injured shoulder. He groaned, and had to stop. Just trailing his eyes up, he noticed he was still hooked up to an IV. His head was fuzzy, as if he couldn't really think. From what he could see, he was alone in the hospital room. His tongue felt thick in his mouth and dry. He tried to ease himself into a more upright position, and got about halfway up before the dull pain in his shoulder starting complaining. He felt around for the nurse's button and pressed it. As he waited, he noticed with growing trepidation that his room lacked a window of any sort. After a minute or two, a nurse in a traditional outfit came strolling in. She looked like something out of an old Hollywood movie. She had on the small white nurse's hat, a crisp white shirtdress, white stockings, and white soft-soled shoes. Instead of a name tag or anything else to identify her, there was a large yellow "W". She stood over him with a severe expression. She held what seemed like a medical chart in her hands. He tried to smile, even though his face felt like he'd overdone it with Botox injections.

"Hello," he grunted out, his voice sounding far away from him. She only pursed her lips, and gave him another once over. She checked the IV bag, shook her head, and walked out.

He felt his face work itself into a frown. Soon, a man in a business suit walked in, followed by three more who stood back by the door as the man approached the bed. Marcus inched back and gave the man a wary look. Whoever this was, he couldn't have meant Marcus any good. He was tall and gaunt, and his sapphire blue eyes were sunken into his skeletal face. He folded his long bony fingers in front of him, and gave Marcus a smile, which he might have thought was welcoming and inviting, and it was anything but. Just being in the same room with this man, sent Marcus' hackles into an uproar. He outwardly cringed when the man spoke.

"Hello, Mr. Bledsoe. My name is Mr. White, or at least that is what you will call me. We will be working together from this day forward. Welcome to the Weyland-Yutani corporation," he said, and then they all filed out.

Marcus stared after them for several minutes before exhaustion made him lay his head back down. He didn't really know who or what this company was, but he knew that as soon as he was well, he had to get out. With that thought in his mind, Marcus drifted off to sleep once more.

* * *

 **A/N: Uh-oh, our poor little Marcus is in the clutches of those bastards. Once again, I tried to do some justice to the Alien kills. Astro was last minute, but I kind of like him. I know I hurt him, but Marcus is a fighter. Now, are we ready for Jasmine's chiva? I'm stoked but nervous about it. Hope I don't disappoint.**


	14. The World Is Not Enough

**_Three Days Before the Chiva:_**

Mating season was almost over, and the hunter's moon nearly upon them. Only the very desperate or those simply not worthy enough, had yet to find a suitable mate. Mar'cte had gone to the kehrite to spar with his children earlier in the day. Now, he and Lijia were together in the marketplace gathering supplies for the upcoming chiva. They had stopped at the metalworker's stall to retrieve a special piece of equipment that Kujhade had sent him after. The sun was high in the sky and one could see the wavers of heat radiating from the ground. Lijia was standing by Mar'cte's side, keeping an eye out for other females who would find it prudent to approach Mar'cte for any mating. He trilled to himself, as one such female did make an appearance. She watched from a short distance, and he waited patiently to see what Lijia was going to do. Not waiting for the female to come any closer, Lijia turned and snarled viciously in her direction. The female spread her mandibles in distaste of being challenged, but otherwise heeded the warning, and left the area without another word. She then turned towards Mar'cte who was busy chuckling.

"Do not laugh Mar'cte, you encourage it!" She said in a huff, and when he reached to stroke her tendrils, she couldn't help but purr at him instead.

"You know that I can't help it when you fight for me that way. Maybe later I can get a real purr out of you," he teased, causing her to grumble and pull away, only to be drawn back into his body heat and musk.

"Speaking of fighting, is our clan leader still being stubborn about his mate?" Lijia asked, the playfulness in her voice giving way to concern. Mar'cte shook his head.

"He is not being stubborn, but he also says that Jasmine has not wanted him around much. You are with her the most, is she truly this angry with him still? R'ka is dead after all," he inquired. Lijia clicked her tusks in thought.

"No, she is not angry. She is sad it seems. I am close with my clan sister, but at times I do not understand her," she admitted. Mar'cte shook his head.

"Whatever the case, she must face a great hunt, and she should not be distracted, even by her mate and pups," he advised as he waited for the metalworker to give one last check over the equipment.

"She has been training hard, I believe she is ready for it, but you are right. She cannot be distracted by any issue," she replied as she watched the metal worker hand Mar'cte the equipment.

The mask was very small. He also handed over a small pair of boots, and a modified wrist gauntlet. Looking at it, she had to ask.

"Is this for Jasmine? It is so small," Lijia commented.

"The arbitrator personally ordered these items. The specifications were so small, I knew that it had to be for that pathetic ooman he keeps," the metalworker stated derisively. He was unprepared for the response. Mar'cte's blades flashed in the bright sunlight only briefly before they were at the neck of the metalsmith.

"You will learn respect, or I will beat it into you!" Mar'cte growled out, half his body over the low counter. He'd pulled the larger metalsmith's locs in one hand, and holding his blades at his throat with the other. The metalsmith growled angrily at such treatment.

"The "pathetic ooman" is his chosen life-mate, and I would wager my best trophies that you would not refer to her as such before the arbitrator himself!" Mar'cte yelled. The metalsmith's eyes smoldered with fury, but he soon lowered them sufficiently enough to avert an all out brawl. Satisfied, Mar'cte released him and snatched the items off the counter. He and Lijia walked away towards the landing pad where they were sure to find Kujhade.

"Did you take her to get a look at those hard meats already?" Mar'cte asked casually as they strolled.

"I did. They frightened her, but I believe it also helped her to be determined. She feels like she really needs to prove herself to Kujhade. To prove that she is strong and is an asset to the clan, and not merely his mate," she offered. Mar'cte nodded.

"In all my cycles, there has never been much that a good hunt could not overcome," Mar'cte said, with a chuckle.

Before long they came upon the ship. There they found Kujhade performing some maintenance on it, and teaching one of the young blood hunter from Set'gin's old clan, how to do work on the ship. The twins were there, running up and down the lowered ramp, trying to ambush each other. Mili was the first to see Mar'cte and came running, Yeyinde close on his heels.

"Dada hunt, I hunt, Yinde hunt!" Mili screamed, laughing as he leaped into Mar'cte's arms.

"What did you kill?" He asked rhetorically, but was surprised when the young pup produced the very small skull of one of the rodent-like creatures common to the planet. Mili showed it with great pride.

"Me too, me too!" Yeyinde said swatting Mar'cte's thigh to get his attention. He also had a similar skull and was jumping up and down with it. Mar'cte bent to pick him up as well.

"You have done well, did your sire help you clean them?" He asked, glancing at Lijia, who stood amazed. Kujhade rumbled in the background, obviously proud of his pups.

"They stalked and killed them on their own, just at the edge of the treeline. It was Yeyinde who discovered the nest. They worked together, they needed little from me," Kujhade explained to a stunned but equally proud Mar'cte.

"Kujhade, do you realize that these are the youngest pups that I've ever seen make any kill. Have they seen you hunt?" He asked, putting them down so that they could chase each other with the cleaned skulls.

"I know, it is amazing, and they've never witnessed me make a kill," Kujhade answered as he came closer to greet Mar'cte properly. "Did you retrieve Jasmine's armor?"

"Sei-i,"

"Did you have any problems?"

"M-di"

"Good. The metalsmith did not relish the thought of making human sized armor, but you can imagine that he had no choice," Kujhade said, as he looked over the pieces, nodding his head in approval.

"I did not know you had ordered this. Would this not be seen as an unfair advantage brother?" Mar'cte asked with some concern. Kujhade shook his head.

"No. The armor we have is inadequate for a hunter of her size. It will get her killed. She cannot even properly wear the wrist gauntlet, which means she would not be able to wield the blades. Even the masks are too large, and the controls designed to be manipulated by mandibles she does not have. I had him place a bit for her to bite down on. When she bites, she may cycle through the functions. There is even room for her to remove it from her mouth when not in use," he said, showing the features.

"Her boots I had fitted with these," he continued, showing Mar'cte the cleats on the bottom. They were a few inches, and were curved for better traction.

"She cannot climb as quickly as us with her natural talent. Without the ability to survey her prey from a higher vantage point, she is more likely to die. I cannot allow that. I must give her every chance to succeed brother," Kujhade said, his upper tusks clicking nervously, as he gave Mar'cte a look as if pleading for him to understand. Mar'cte nodded solemnly.

"I understand, clan leader. She has trained hard, my sister is ready for this trial," he said, grabbing Kujhade's shoulder companionably. Kujhade nodded again, and then began to gather his pups.

"Mar'cte, oversee the young bloods. Make sure they do not tear the ship apart piece by piece in an effort to maintain it," he said, half-jokingly. "I must see to Jasmine. I cannot leave her alone for too long."

[][][][][]

The chiva was fast approaching. Jasmine hadn't seen much of Kujhade since the night he killed R'ka, but she knew he was always around. He'd become extremely protective, even aggressive at times when warning other males to leave if they came too close to their home, whether she was actually there or not. This time she was at home, having completed yet another grueling morning of training under Dteinou's rigorous instruction. Time was winding up now, and with each passing day, Jasmine became increasingly anxious. She found herself having mild anxiety attacks every time she contemplated on the severity of the task, and the very real possibility that she could very well die. To handle these attacks, she had taken to doing dance sessions in the house, then having a long shower afterwards.

She was in the midst of one such dance session, when Kujhade came silently through the door. At first, she didn't notice. Jasmine was playing the music loudly, and doing an impromptu contemporary dance routine. It was subdued, without all the jumps and spins because of her sore muscles. She preferred more flowing movements, long body extensions, and floor work. It was meditative, and served to take her mind off the chiva, and think about the few happier times she had back on Earth. Only the clattering of tusks, drew her into the present with a start. She turned towards the door and stood at attention like a soldier. They only stared at each other in silence, as the twins lay cradled in each of their father's arms, fast asleep. They each held some small skull in their little hands, and she hoped that Kujhade had gifted it to them, but something told her that was not quite true.

Kujhade walked silently over to their bed pit, and lay them down with a gentleness that almost matched her own. He stood to his height, and fully faced her. The silence was so awkward. They hadn't had a full conversation since all the drama went down. After killing R'ka, Kujhade started changing again. It almost felt like a step in the wrong direction, but then again not really. He wasn't absent. Sure, he hadn't been spending his nights with her as she deep-down wished could happen, but he was never far. He was becoming more and more territorial it seemed each day. He always seemed on the verge of telling her something profound, but it was never quite the best time. There was always something else to do, and with the trials coming up, Dteinou was working her overtime. Jasmine was wearied but thankful. Dteinou would take her and the female pup aside daily, trying to give them tips, and teach the subtler nuances of the hunt which would help. Jasmine didn't always get it, but appreciated it and filed it away anyhow. After trainings, she was ravenous and Kujhade seemed to always have some food brought in. This was a pleasant change. Before, he would hardly notice, and just took for granted that such a simple thing like Jasmine eating properly would happen without any hand-holding from him. He always made a point to bring the food himself, and the case was so now. From a satchel hanging from his side, he pulled a container of hot food and presented it to her at a distance.

He was confused, and Jasmine knew that she was the one confusing the hell out of him with her behavior, but there was nothing to be done about it. She wasn't being overtly angry or mean, but she also had not had any sex, and was keeping her physical affection to a scant touch here or there. Had to be a personal hell for him. His mating musk was constant, and she saw him physically struggle against his natural inclination to have sex with her at every opportunity. He was standing there, holding out the food to her, upper mandible twitching, and his eyes devouring her like a starving man at a feast. It didn't help matters that she was always half-naked, that her own libido was in overdrive as well, and that he could most likely smell it on her like a perfume. It had been well over a week since she'd had any sex, and Kujhade was a very tall drink of water on a very hot day. Right on cue, he opened his mandibles and sniffed the air, growled low in his throat with his eyes closed, and then gathered himself again. Unable to keep her own eyes from trailing all over him as well, Jasmine strode across the short distance and grabbed the container, making sure to graze her fingertips along the back of his hand. Hey, a girl's gotta have something.

"Thank you 'Jhade," she said softly, her hand still lingering on his. He trilled low, but otherwise maintained his position.

"I see they're all tuckered out, you take them hunting?" She asked, breaking the tension a little. If nothing else, they were of one accord when it came to the boys.

"They made their own hunt. The forest line is not far from the landing bay. The creatures they found were very small, harmless creatures. A good challenge for a pup to chase," he answered. Her shoulders dropped, and the tension left her body upon hearing that they hadn't faced anything which could have really hurt them. She gave him a little smile; something rare in these last few days and he found himself wishing it hadn't disappeared so quickly.

"I bet that just thrilled you to no end, didn't it?" She asked, flashing another smile and turning towards the small dining area to eat. He followed closely behind, watching the sway of her hips, and the rise and fall of her ass. He wished desperately to bury himself to the hilt within her, but her words that night were still echoing in his ears.

No fucking, she'd told him. Although he didn't know how much more of that he could take as long as she was still claiming to be his mate. He sat down in the seat across from her, watching as she took big bites of the food. He'd also made sure to procure some vegetation as well to balance her diet, finally accepting that she was not purely a carnivore.

"The chiva is coming soon. Do you have any questions about it?" He asked. Her eyes flickered and her shoulders seemed to slump. She took one more bite, chewed and swallowed carefully. Jasmine, then looked over her shoulder, casting a long glance at the twins, before she turned back to him with an answer.

"Why didn't you train me? I could have used you for this, but you put me off on someone else," she said, in the least accusatory way she could. He wasted no time to respond.

"You must survive. In order to give the best chance, your hunt master must be the best available. Dteinou is a better, more accomplished hunter than me. There is more she could teach, and teach it better than I can. I could not take a chance to do anything less," he said, hoping that it was explanation enough. After a moment and another bite of food, she nodded.

"I can accept that. Thank you," she said. She took another small bite before looking up at him bashfully.

"I want you to spend the night here, with me," she said, and watched as his mandibles slowly spread apart in shock.

"Are you sure? Jasmine said no fucking," he responded, then chortled at his own half-joke. She smiled, then tentatively reached over and lay her small hand over his. He hadn't realized how much he'd missed her little touches.

"I'm sure," she said, and then finished her meal in total silence.

* * *

 ** _The morning of the Chiva:_**

They hadn't had sex. There was a ton of sexual tension so thick that they both could literally smell it, but they'd kept themselves away from each other by some small miracle. Jasmine was not surprised to find that she awakened alone in bed. It had been that way the last couple of mornings. He would always come back at some point during the day. She sat up in her seat, noticing for the first time that her children were also gone, presumably with their father. There was a proverbial kaleidoscope of butterflies, fluttering restlessly in her gut. She was slightly dizzy and nauseous, and she went to the bathroom to take care of it.

Once that was over, Jasmine stepped into the shower column, activating it and simply stood there contemplating. So many things were going through her mind, and she tried desperately to quiet them. Death. She'd faced it in some vague way while she roamed the seedier streets of New York at all hours of the night. She'd faced it every time she sold her body to a stranger for drugs, and she faced it every time she took those drugs. None of that seemed as real as it seemed today. Today, she would be left on her own to face a dreadful creature, bent on her death for no other reason than to kill. It could not be talked to or reasoned with in any way. There would be no Kujhade, no Dteinou, no one to come to her rescue should she fail. There was only death, either on the spot, or when giving unnatural birth to the very thing which killed her.

She began to absently wash herself with the small bar of soap that she kept like a prized possession. What about her children? If she failed to return, she knew they would be well taken care of, but they would forget about her. There was something about that thought, that was worse than the death itself. Last, but certainly not least, what of Kujhade? She would never see him again. She would never feel his encompassing warmth as he held her. She would never see the pure joy on her sons faces as they played with their toys, or clambered over each other to show her some small thing which fascinated them. She would not enjoy Mar'cte's antics, or take Lijia's sage advice. The hot tears rolled down her wet cheeks as she completed her shower. Whatever happened, no matter what, she had to come back. She had to embody the principles and the training she'd been so graciously given, and she would have to prove strong. Not only for herself, but the larger scope of things had come to her attention as the time wound down to this point. Jasmine was representing the entire human race. She was proving not only her personal strength, but that of all humanity; that one of them could in fact endure and survive. The full brunt of the weight of that realization threatened to crush her underneath it, but somehow she withstood.

Jasmine exhaled loudly and stepped from underneath the warm stream. Toweling herself off, she went over to the pile of armor and gear. Quelling the butterflies for the thousandth time, she began to dress. First, the female version of the codpiece. Of course, it was flat and hard, something to cover the vulnerable area at least. It went on like a jock strap, covering only her girly bits, but not her backside. Next, the netting which wasn't so high-tech as to be housed within the armor. This was young blood gear, and one would need to live in order to earn better. Despite the look, it was quite comfortable, and she was extremely grateful for that. The other pieces of gear lay neatly at her feet, and as she reached for them, the door quietly whooshed open. Kujhade stepped quickly inside, closing the door behind him.

He was a sight to behold. Jasmine had never quite seen him dressed the way he was this day. He had on what looked to be very expensive armor, which was a matte white in color. The material could only be described as some cross between steel and porcelain, but she knew it was neither. It blended seamlessly with his pale skin tone. A long white loincloth was wrapped around his waist, the narrow strip of fabric coming almost to his ankles. The symbol of their clan was painted on it in a bold green color. His boots were gladiator style, with the straps coming just under his knees. All of his armor was white and unblemished, including the plasma gun on his shoulder. Only his mask was the dark metal color that they all seemed to be, with the clan symbol once again engraved upon the crest. On either of his shoulders were two gleaming white skulls, both human with the upper teeth intact, but the lower jaw missing in order to fit perfectly on the armor. His Ty'verion whip hung at his side, and his talon-tipped fingers held the hilt firmly. To say that he appeared intimidating would have been the understatement of the century.

"Where're the boys?" She asked, instantly nervous at their absence. He waved away her concern.

"They are just outside with the rest of the clan. I took them so that you could concentrate only on your preparation," he said, coming closer. She nodded, trying her best to stop the building anxiety from working into a full-blown attack. The butterflies were furious. Just then, she felt two strong hands grasp her by her shoulders and turn her to face their owner. He removed his mask and hung it on his side. His green eyes were alight and alert, and she had to stop herself from burying her head in his chest, and crying, refusing to leave. That would earn nothing but his displeasure, and moreover his disrespect. So, instead of giving in to her first emotional reaction, she forced herself to stand straight and meet his gaze. This caused him to rumble in approval.

"I have something special for you," he said softly, and that was the first time she noticed that he had bundle in his hands.

"What is this?" She asked, puzzled until he began to show her the pieces.

"A mask, to fit me?!" She exclaimed, eagerly grabbing it from him to place it over her face.

"Does it fit, is it alright?" He asked, and she could hear some of the uncertainty in his tone. She removed the mask and gave him a smile.

"It's perfect. It's almost like when you gave me the bow, remember?" She said. He nodded.

"There is more. I had these fitted for you," he said, revealing even more pieces. He showed the cleated boots and the wrist gauntlet.

"These will allow you to climb. You know what this is. It functions the same as all others," he said, giving her the items and watching her for the first time, become a little excited over what was to come.

"I was so worried that I wouldn't be able to use half the stuff I had. Thank you so much Kujhade. I don't know what to say," she said, pausing her inspection of the items, to face him fully once again. Then, she slowly reached for him, doing her best to embrace him. He brought her possessively, greedily into his arms, his purr trapped in his chest. It was the first real affectionate gesture she'd shown, and they both sighed inwardly at the touch. How they'd missed each other. They'd been so near, yet so far apart, and the days had seemed to stretch on forever.

"We must prepare," he said, finally speaking and pulling himself out of her arms, which never quite reached all the way around him.

In reverent silence, Kujhade took it upon himself to gird her for the hunt. He worked from the bottom up, as he did his own. First, the boots, making sure of their fit. Next the shin guards, the loin cloth which was nothing more than the pelt of leather they all wore. Then came the shoulder and chest armor, which he placed upon her body carefully and slowly. Each time he closed a piece, or checked it, he did so while looking into her eyes. Slowly, he turned her back to himself, and began to place the plasma caster into her shoulder rig. When he was done, and checked to make sure it was secure, he grabbed her by the shoulders once more, and simply held her. He drew her backwards into his warmth until her body was flush with his, and they stood this way for many long seconds, lost in the moment and in each other. The tension between them still lingered, and each was wondering how they would break it. How, would they get back to the place they were before?

Jasmine felt his lower tusks pulling through her hair, which she had plaited into large braids. They now reached the middle of her back, and she contemplated cutting them, eventually deciding against it. She had to stifle more tears, and the ache in her heart. He leaned down a bit to whisper something in her ear.

"Now you have your plasma caster, and you did not have to fuck your clan leader to get it," he said, rumbling a chuckle in reference to something she'd said long ago. That lightened the mood a little, and she laughed a little herself, before he gently turned her to face him once more.

He connected her wrist gauntlet, and synced the mask to it as well as to the gun on her shoulder.

"Here, place it on. We must run a system check. Never proceed into any hunt, without first ensuring the function of your gear. Only the worst hunters come ill-prepared, and the results are usually fatal," he said with the utmost importance. Understanding the gravity if his advice, she only nodded.

"How is the view?" He asked after he had placed it on her face. "Are you able to see clearly?"

"Yes, it's very clear. It's a little bit better than my real eyesight, and I'll have you know I have perfect 20/20 vision," she replied. He simply grunted, not understanding what 20/20 meant, but grasping that she was telling him that by human standards, her natural vision was exceptional. This was good.

"The bit on the inside fits in your mouth. We use our mandibles to operate mask functions. Since you lack this feature, I had a modification made. Put it into your mouth and bite down. Each time you bite, you will cycle through the function. Go to your plasma gun," he instructed, standing back a bit as she did so.

It was like looking at things in hyper-reality. It was super HD, better than 4K, with enhanced details that one might miss with the naked eye. It could zoom in and out, even down to microscopic vision, and of course infrared. Finally, she got to the plasma caster when the HUD changed. It created a targeting reticle which followed wherever her eyes landed. From Kujhade's perspective, she had engaged the weapon as he heard the high-pitched whine of it charging. He held his hand up and began to bring it slowly from one side of his body to the other.

"Target my hand. We need to make sure that it is precise," he said. She instantly obeyed, as the triangular lights steadied themselves on his palm.

"Track it," he said as he began to move his hand a little faster and a little more erratically. She followed along flawlessly.

"To discharge it, simply bite down again and hold it. It will fire after every charge as long as you hold it. When you release, the weapon will cease to fire. Be careful, as it generates a lot of heat, and attracts a lot of attention. If you are being stealthy, this is not the weapon to engage. Do not fire it, unless you are sure of hitting your target. Typically, this is the killing, or crippling blow. As you become more experienced, you will find other uses, such as steering your prey into waiting traps, but that comes later," he said, coming closer to make some last minute adjustment to the shoulder rig.

"If you become surrounded by hard meats, use it to clear the area quickly. They are more dangerous in groups than they are alone," he said. He made some unnecessary checks to her upper armor, which served to bring her close to him once again. They were about to get lost, the moment once again becoming pregnant with words as yet unspoken. Just then, Mar'cte was heard outside the doors.

"We are ready clan leader!" He bellowed, and Kujhade seemed to blow an irritated sigh, his upper mandibles clicking in annoyance.

"Come. Let us head to the launch pad," he said. He then did something she did not expect. He grabbed her wrist into his hand, and led her outside.

[][][][][]

Her heart was beginning to beat harder and faster, and again she worked hard to keep control of her fear and anxiety. Outside the door of their home, stood their entire clan, small though it was. It filled her with so much pride, and she had to stymie a crying fit. Mar'cte stepped forward first, and shook her shoulder in greeting.

"You look to be one of us. You will do well, and bring back many trophies, proving the strength and honor of our clan, sister!" He exclaimed, the excitement in his voice unmistakable. He stepped back and Dteinou then stepped up, greeting her the same way. Her face was stern, but her eyes glittered with what might have been pride.

"Remember that you are representing not only the clan, but myself as your hunt master. Do not make me a fool human," she said, then gave a small grin.

"I won't, I promise," Jasmine said, as the small female whooped in agreement.

"We will kill them clan sister, and we will bring back many skulls. They will fear us after this!" The young blood said, as she paced back and forth, obviously stoked for the fight to come.

Everyone spoke a word of encouragement, as they walked together as a clan towards where all the young bloods were gathering to leave. Kujhade was in the lead, with Mar'cte at his right hand. Just behind Kujhade on his other side was T'chnde who was holding high in the air, a very tall banner with the clan symbol boldly printed upon it. At that moment, Jasmine missed K'var knowing that he would be on the other side of his sire. Her own sons wished to be carried by her. Unable to carry them both in her arms, she gave Mili the piggyback ride, which was his favorite mode of transportation aside from an all-out run, and she held Yeyinde close to her chest. Usually the feistier of the two, he was settled today. Maybe he had some inclination that today was different from other days, she wondered to herself. She kissed his crown, earning a light purr, and walked alongside the female, Lijia, and the other young bloods in the clan.

The morning sun shone high and bright in the yellow-tinged sky, as throngs of yautja were making their way to the sendoff. Each clan was represented, as the clan leaders, all as ceremoniously dressed as Kujhade was, led their respective clans to the landing pad. As was the case on the original clanship, there stood the Matriach. She was in the middle of the growing crowd, standing on a higher platform and seeming to wait before addressing them. Dteinou broke away, and made her way to take her place alongside the Matriarch, with the rest of the enforcers. Before she could ascend the platform, Dhi'routa spoke a word to her, and sent her back to Kujhade's clan.

"This is good. The Matriarch has allowed Dteinou to take the customary place of the hunt master to send off their charges," Lijia leaned down to say. Jasmine nodded her understanding, and continued to look around in awe.

There had to be yautjas numbered in the tens of thousands, although there was not as many actual young bloods going off to complete the trial. All those not actually headed out, stopped short of the landing bay, and instead lined the edge with the clan leaders in front. Kujhade turned to beckon Jasmine and the young female - who preferred to remain nameless until after she returned - to the front. Nervously, Jasmine made her way next to Kujhade. In the landing bay were many of the single occupant, sleek black pods, each with the symbol of a clan painted boldly on its front. She saw two for her own clan waiting at least twenty yards or so away.

Feeling the excitement in the air, her twins squirmed down. They'd spotted other pups and wanted to play. Reluctantly, she put them down, but not before telling them each something very important. She corralled them before her.

"Mommy has to go Yeyinde and Mili. Do you know that?" She said, stifling the emotion creeping into her voice. She hated goodbyes.

"Sei-i, dada say mama hunt. Mama hunt?" Mili asked, both waiting on the answer. She swallowed thickly.

"Sei-i, mama hunt. Mama promises to come back okay, and she will bring you a trophy," she tried to say confidently, willing herself to believe the words she was speaking to her only children. They nodded emphatically.

"Sei-i mama. Luh you mama. We play?" Yeyinde asked after bringing his tusks to her mouth in an attempt to kiss her goodbye. She kissed and hugged them both until they squirmed in her arms. Finally, with trepidation she released them.

"Be good boys. Listen to your father," she lightly admonished. They nodded in unison once more before taking permission from Kujhade to go play. He granted it, with Lijia keeping an eye on them both from a short distance. When she stood up straight, she simply faced forward, not having the heart to keep looking at her children. She felt Kujhade's large hand enclose her own, just as the Matriarch began to speak.

"This is the first day after the Hunter's Moon, and therefore the chiva to which we send the unblooded, and young bloods of our clans, to prove their strength and honor!" Her powerful voice boomed all around. It was greeted with a raucous cheer, that she had to motion to quiet down.

"You must observe the rules of the hunt to be considered honored, and blooded. First, you will have until nightfall to go, hunt, and return. If you do not return before the rise of the next sun, you will have failed. Second, you must fight and kill, bringing a trophy to prove it. Upon your first kill, you must mark yourselves with the symbol of your clan. When you have at least two worthy trophies, you may return. There will be no help. You may work collectively with your clan mate, but you cannot make kills for them. Now, go earn your honor and your place among your clan, among your kind! Do not fear, and do not show mercy, as you will be shown none!" The Matriarch exclaimed, and the roar of the crowd was deafening.

Jasmine watched as many hurriedly made their way to their ships, performing a check before launching away. After about five or ten minutes, the first ships took off, disappearing into the sky within a matter of seconds. Before leaving, many young bloods, majority male, were huddled together. Just as on the old clanship with Bakuub, they were hyping each other, yelling their clan names or other things Jasmine's translator couldn't discern, but it was quite clear what was going on. The young female whooped and hollered excitedly before giving a loud roar and taking off towards her ship. Now, was the moment of truth. It was time to leave, and Jasmine had to gather all her strength to take the first step onto the landing bay. Before she could get two steps further, Kujhade grabbed hold of her once more. He'd replaced his mask, but the visors were made clear and she could see his beautiful leaf green eyes piercing into her. He handed her the combi-stick which she placed on her back, and checked to make sure she had her medi-kit, made sure to set her wrist gauntlet for countdown as she would need to keep track of the time, and finally gave her a general once over one last time.

Time seemed to grow still, the noises around her muted. All that she could see, all that she could think about was the yautja standing tall before her. She was heading off, her future uncertain, and here they were, not at all in the blissful place they should have been in. They were in a difficult place. One where the solution should have come so easy, but yet was so hard to come by. Finally, he spoke to her, his voice low, and yet rising above the din surrounding them.

"Come back," he said, bringing his forehead to hers and staring deeply into her eyes.

"Jasmine come back Kujhade," he said in English this time, and his meaning was not lost. She had not yet replaced her mask, and so had to stop herself from dropping a single tear. Here, it would have perhaps ruined the moment for him. He may not have understood the purpose of her tears, and now was not the time for miscommunication. Not when it could be the last time they speak with one another. She could not think of any words to say that could properly convey the tumult of emotions swirling within her. They fought for supremacy, but each feeling was just as important as the other. Suddenly, she recalled an old saying which her dance teacher used to say to encourage her to put more feeling in a routine.

" _Music is the universal language, Jasmine. Even if you do not understand the words, you can understand the feeling," she used to say._

With that in mind, Jasmine turned to music to say for her, what she could not have said for herself. Grabbing his hand in both of hers, and bringing it to her heart, Jasmine began to sing in a clear, beautiful voice.

 _If I ain't got nothing, I got you._

 _If I ain't got somethin' I don't give a damn_

 _Cause I got it with you_

 _I don't know much about algebra but I know_

 _One plus one equals two_

 _And it's me and you_

 _That's all we'll have when the world is through_

 _Baby we ain't got nothing without love_

 _Darling you got enough for the both of us_

 _So come on baby, make love to me_

 _When my days look low_

 _Pull me in close_

 _And don't let me go_

 _Make love to me_

 _So when the world's at war_

 _Let our love heal us all_

 _Right now baby_

 _Make love to me_

She didn't notice, but Kujhade did. The yautja's immediately next to them had paused in their own revelry, to observe the small human. She was gripping his hand tightly, placing it over her heart. He could feel it galloping strongly, and he could smell a mix of fear, anxiety, and stress, but not the kind he induced when he was purposely frightening someone. This was different. This was more like the emotion she displayed when she was admonishing him. Only, this was no admonishment. There was no anger. She wasn't yelling, but singing, something he'd heard her do before, but nothing she had ever directed at him. Hastily, he set his mask to record every sound, every syllable, as he tried his best to decipher her words.

 _Hey, I don't know much about guns but I_

 _I've been shot by you_

 _Hey, I don't know when I'm gon' die but I hope_

 _That I'm gon' die by you_

 _Hey, I don't know much about fighting but I_

 _I know I will fight for you_

 _Hey, just when I ball up my fist I realize_

 _That I'm laying right next to you_

 _Baby we ain't got nothing, but love_

 _And darling you got enough for the both of us_

 _Oooh, make love to me_

 _When my days look low_

 _Pull me in close_

 _And don't let me go_

 _Make love to me_

 _So when the world's at war_

 _Let our love heal us all_

 _Help me let down my guard_

 _Make love to me_

She was breathing hard, her heart still full, but finally she'd gotten it out. The song, one that she loved and almost always cried to when she heard it, had simply come to her. Staring into his eyes, he spoke once more, and she thought that he really had grasped at least the feeling of what she wanted to convey if not the words themselves, and she hoped it had been enough.

"Come back to me, Jasmine. Back to me," he said with such vehemence that it bordered on anger.

"That is a command. Your arbitrator commands, your clan leader commands…. Your life mate commands" he growled as she let go of his hand.

Jasmine replaced her mask, and with one last sigh, she turned towards her ship. She didn't have the heart to look back. Behind her she could hear Kujhade's distinctive roar, and then that of Mar'cte and Lijia, and even Dteinou and T'chnde joined his. They began to beat their chests, and chant their clan's name Nain-Desintje-de; Absolute Victory. She climbed into the pod, which was very spacious for her. There was only one small rounded window, and through it she could see her clan roaring and chanting for her sendoff. A fat tear slid down her face. She accepted it, and then vowed that she would shed no more. Jasmine swallowed the lump in her throat, and with the push of a single button, the engine purred to life. She performed her system check as Dteinou had gone over before. She placed her hand on the wide lever which would launch her. The point of no return.

"I'll come back Kujhade. I promise I _will_ come back to you," she whispered, as she brought the lever down, and jetted off into the blackness of space.

* * *

 **A/N: I'm not even gonna lie, I straight made myself cry with this chapter. I did my best to create the type of nervous energy you get, when you've gotta do something important, and when failure really isn't an option. For those of you unfamiliar, Jasmine is singing One Plus One by Beyonce. I don't do songfics, but if you listen to the song while reading you will get a sense of what I was going for here. Just check it out on YouTube. I'm not a Beyonce superfan, but this song pretty much captured the mood of what I wanted Jasmine to say. It was either this song or Because I Love You by Lenny Williams. You can also check that one out if you want. It's a more old school type of song, but Jasmine is young, and likely would have been more familiar with an artist like Beyonce.**

 **I was so incredibly nervous writing this. Her chiva is important for me, so I want to convey all of her emotions, as well as give you action for the next chapter. I want to go back and forth, but I believe her chiva deserves its own chapter, and it deserves not to be interrupted by the happenings on Earth. Tell me what you guys thought of this chapter. How do we feel about Kujhade at this point? Do you believe the chiva will work to solve any of their issues?**


	15. For Honor

The bright side of Yaut Prime's second moon. It was beautiful. Jasmine opened the pod door, and took a cautious step out. Her wrist gauntlet vibrated silently, and she noticed the countdown had started. Even through her bio-mask, she could see the rich greens and reds of the foliage all around her. It was a dense jungle. She'd landed at the top of a hill which gave a wide view of the surrounding area. Not too far into the distance, she saw great statues standing tall in the sun. They had been overgrown with all manner of vegetation, but still the shape was familiar. These were statues of hunters, in various poses, all of them intimidating. At first, she assumed they had been hewn out of stone, and maybe some part had been, but the glint of sun from the heads of the statues, gave away that there was also some metal they had been fashioned from.

It was hot, but not as hot as the home planet itself. Overhead she could hear the call of strange birds, and when they passed she saw how large they were. They had to be easily larger than golden eagles, or maybe even vultures. Even though she was on a hilltop, she hadn't necessarily landed in a clearing. Close behind her and her pod, was a cropping of trees, vines, and other foliage. The trees were tall, and the underbrush at least where she was standing was thin. Below the hill was a valley, where to her left, was a fast running stream which could be seen and heard stretching into the valley and far beyond. She wasn't high enough to see where it might have cut through the landscape, but then again, she didn't really need to. The gauntlet had been uploaded with a complete map of the entire moon surface. Also, the general location of the nest was highlighted at all times, as well as the location of her pod, complete with GPS if needed.

The ground was alive with small mammalian and reptilian creatures, insects, and an assortment of different bugs she couldn't identify. Some of them looked harmless, but some of them looked like they could deliver a nasty bite. In the distance, she could see a few pods dotting the jungle valley floor, and she heard at least one distinct yautja roar. She wondered absently where the young female had landed. It didn't seem predesignated beyond simply landing in the general hunting grounds. Jasmine checked her wrist gauntlet, which she was delighted to find had been programmed in English. After fumbling for a little with the unmarked controls, she was finally able to zero in on the other pod's location. The young female had landed clear across the valley floor it seemed, right near those humungous statues. Jasmine took a deep breath, then double-checked herself. She'd need to make it to her clanmate, assuming she could then be found or even want to team up. The pod, which was small for them and super-sized for her, had come with a storage compartment large enough to house a queen's crown should any young blood be lucky, brave, or even stupid enough to go get it. Jasmine had already made her mind up. She would hunt and she would do her absolute best, but she was NOT going to go _looking_ for a queen to tangle with. A damn death wish is what that was. Usually, she was competitive and liked to go above and beyond, but there was a limit, and it was the queen.

 _What if you run into a queen hotshot? Gonna run?_

"Not all that bad of an idea, but then that might be punk ass territory, and you're here to prove badassness Jazzy," she muttered to herself. She checked her person to make sure she had her trophy bag. She lifted it up and inspected the black netted sack, and shook her head.

"You can go from Earth to Jupiter in ten minutes flat, but you can't find anything more sophisticated to put these trophies in than a reusable shopping bag?" She mused, and then folded it away and stuffed it into a small pocket on her hip belt.

Her head snapped up when she heard rustling behind her, a few yards from the pod. Instantly alerted, Jasmine reached around for the combi-stick and crouched low, peering just around her pod. All seemed to go quiet, as she focused intently upon whatever was moving in the brush. Leaves rustled as one of the young sapling trees shivered as if something fast had climbed it. She swallowed as her heart kicked up several notches and adrenaline welcomed itself into her bloodstream. Doing her best impression of Kujhade, she moved laterally, keeping her eyes on the area she'd heard the noise coming from, while moving around the pod. The edge of the hill was only a few yards away, and she didn't want to chance being knocked off and killed by a stupid fall. The rustling came again this time closer. Whatever it was, was hidden just out of sight. The combi-stick extended silently, as Jasmine crept just a little closer, and then waited. Whatever it was, she wanted to be ready, but no need to rush into anything blindly. It was closer. Her muscles tensed as whatever it was finally burst forth, and then she sat there slack-jawed. Jasmine plopped down on her butt, and risked a few snorts of laughter, laughing at her own scariness. She collapsed the combi-stick and put it back, hoping that if Kujhade was somehow watching that he'd get a good laugh out of it too.

"You're a cute little guy, but you scared the shit outta me," she breathed and then got to her feet. The small animal was reminiscent of a rabbit, but it easily stood on its hind legs to reach the low leaves of bushes. It was covered in light brown fur, large ears, and eyes that had to take up half its face. It looked like something out of an anime, and Jasmine had to stop herself from cooing at it and trying to get its attention. Resisting the urge to try to pet it, Jasmine regained her composure and decided to try to find a way down. She stepped to the edge of the hill, and peered over it. It wasn't a sheer face. There was plenty of shrubbery, short thick roots which jutted out in snarled tangles, and rocky ledges. She looked behind her into the dense trees. Maybe there was another way down, an easier way. Jasmine checked the map quickly. Indeed, the hill she was on, sloped gently down, but in the opposite direction, and it stretched on for many miles. It would take her well out of her way, and time was of the essence. So, she turned off the map and decided not to try to find another way down.

"Not like there's gonna be a fucking elevator on the other side, Jazz," she said to herself. Carefully, and remembering the bit of cable she had with her, she got on her hands and knees and turned to go feet first. Placing the coiled rope in her mouth so her hands could be free, she tried to find some footing below her. The rocks were loose, as a few of the smaller ones skittered down the face of the hill. It had to be at least two hundred feet up. Not a mountainside, but not a little bump in the road either. Still, she lowered herself carefully but was unable to find a place to put her feet. She paused, dangling over the side of a two hundred foot drop like an idiot, until she remembered her boots. Kujhade had shown her that the cleats were retractable. All she had to do was press a button on the toe of them, to get the cleats to pop out. She hit the toes of her boots onto the side of the hill, and gained instant traction as the sharp cleats dug into the loose gravel, rock, and dirt.

Carefully, she negotiated her way down which wasn't as difficult as she anticipated. She simply jumped the last ten feet or so, then checked her time. It had taken her twenty minutes give or take, and she figured all considered it wasn't that bad, but she needed to get a move on. The angry butterflies on her stomach became more furious now that she was on the valley floor. Somehow, it felt more final now that she was a good distance away from the ship. Also, that thought led into how the hell she'd get back up there, then figured she'd cross that bridge when she got to it… if she got to it. She shook that out of her head.

"Think positive Jazzy. Have to envision yourself walking out of here alive, or you won't make it," she muttered to herself again. She gave a quick look around, trying to mark her surroundings by the sun and any landmarks. She got nothing but the hill, the river, and the statues, and that would be enough. There was no trail, so she figured to start making her way on the edge of the tree line nearest the river which went in that direction.

She cast a good look around, trying to use the hunting skills she'd been taught. The first, was tracking. The kiande amedha were elusive when they wanted to be, and difficult to track. She looked for any tell-tale sign of passage near her, but saw nothing but trees, river, rocks, and a few surrounding cliffs. Jasmine put her head on a swivel, and began to move swiftly but quietly towards the statues.

* * *

Back on Yaut Prime, Kujhade, along with several other arbitrators, clan leaders, and the matriarch herself, were watching the hunt from the Matriarchs main quarters. Out at the landing bay, the clan members and general populace were watching various feeds for their own clan on large holo-screens. The buzz of excitement was akin to a large event, like the Superbowl or a big concert. Inside, anyone not of a certain rank could not monitor the hunt in the quieter environment, so Mar'cte wasn't allowed in and neither Kujhade's children. Only Dteinou was familiar enough with him and his clan to comment on what they were seeing.

Seeing her negotiate the hillside, and then take a good route near the edge of the water, made Kujhade proud. Dteinou was also standing behind a seated Kujhade, watching both Jasmine and the female. The young yautja had landed very close to the nest entrance, and had wasted no time in attempting to locate her kills. She'd gone into the ancient ruins, built long ago by their predecessors. This was good, as most of the hard meats were still there considering it was daylight and they disliked the sun. Dteinou rumbled in approval.

"You have trained them both, better than I ever could given such short time, and I cannot thank you enough great Dteinou," he turned in his seat to say. Her light grey eyes pinned him, and then she nodded once.

"There was nothing else to be done. I could not very well have my pupils unprepared for their first real hunt. They will make it, or they will not, but they will have been provided the very best training to succeed," she said stoically, but then put a hand on his shoulder.

Kujhade didn't know much about her before meeting her, but from T'chnde's account, she had always been very serious. He was also told that her ordeal with the bad bloods had made her even more distant to all except T'chnde himself, and the young pup they had essentially adopted. Kujhade did not fault her. From what he could see she had the normal behavior of a female yautja of her status, so there were never any hard feelings. He appreciated her time and effort at his request. He was about to turn his attention back to Jasmine, when he watched the Matriarch suddenly get up and leave the room. Without any word or hesitation, Dteinou followed close on her heels. Kujhade watched them leave hurriedly, wondering what had drawn her attention more than this chiva. Deciding that it wasn't his business, he turned his attention to Jasmine's hunt once again.

[][][][][]

Dteinou followed the Matriarch from the large viewing room, down a long hall, and into her throne room, where she received secure transmissions meant only for her. Along with the other enforcers, Dteinou took up guard just behind the Matriarch. From her position, she could hear and see everything. She watched as Dhi'routa pinpointed what appeared to be a distress signal. She followed its trail backwards to find its source. It had hit every relay and interstellar outpost between Yaut Prime… and Earth? It took only seconds for the Matriarch to determine that this signal had been the result of a self-destruct from one of their own. Who it belonged to, would take a few moments more to figure out, as there also seemed to be a video transmission to accompany the signal. There were only five yautja in the room including the Matriarch, and all of them stood slack-jawed at what they saw. It was a short video, but the impact was immediately felt. Once the feed ended, Dhi'routa stood for a while with her back turned to everyone, still facing the screen. Finally, she turned to address Dteinou.

"Dteinou Thei-de, my most trusted guard, I have a task for you," she said. Dteinou nodded solemnly, as the Matriarch gave her instruction.

About an hour or more passed as decisions were made that would affect both the yautja and human race greatly. Dteinou emerged from that small but important, impromptu meeting, and made her way to Kujhade in the main viewing room. She paused to look at the screen, then she grabbed Kujhade by the shoulder.

"Arbitrator, your Matriarch has called upon you for a great hunt," she said rather cryptically. Reluctant to leave his station, but understanding that one did not dismiss the Matriarch's summons, Kujhade rose to his feet and followed Dteinou.

* * *

The statues were further away than Jasmine had previously surmised. Getting there on foot was relatively easy, if not a straight shot. She eventually had to leave the riverside, and move more into the interior which she didn't like because she had no idea what was in there. It turned out to be not much. She hadn't run into any animal which she considered predatory or dangerous. Just bugs, bugs, and of course, more bugs. She was pleased to notice that the netting she wore had many functions, such as being an insect repellant. Any insect trying to investigate her seemed to run into a barrier, then turning to go the other way. It had taken at least an hour or so to make the trek, and now she was in the shadow of the nearest statue. As she peered around, she realized that there were parts of walls, floors, and broken columns dotting the area closest to the sculptures. These were ruins, and from the rust as well as the crumbling rock, she knew she had guessed right; they'd been built with a blend of both materials. The columns were tall, and some even still held aloft part of a roof, which had also been overgrown with lush green vines, with large teardrop shaped leaves. A light breeze was coming to her from the direction of the river, whose path she'd left to get here. It was warm and pleasant, but brought with it the undertone of a pungent smell. Jasmine had never seen one alive, nor been in its presence, but she knew in her gut that she was smelling them; the black aliens.

She crouched down a little, bringing the bit into her mouth to control the bio-mask. Carefully, she flipped through the spectrums. She thought about cloaking, but then remembered that Dteinou told her that hard meats did not see in any light spectrum, and so cloaking was ineffective. Still, Jasmine lowered her center of gravity, and crept a little closer to a crumbling wall, just to make herself a more difficult target. Her heart rate picked up, as that scent grew a little stronger riding on the soft current of the breeze. The fine hairs on the back of her neck stood on end, and she knew she was no longer alone, if she ever had been. She reached behind her and brought out her combi-stick, constantly looking around, and quickly flipping from one visual spectrum to the next.

About fifty yards to her left, stood the mouth of what appeared to be a cave. Her intuition told her that any attack would likely come from there, and also that this was where they hid; where they nested. The cave opening yawned its pitch-black maw, sunlight cutting off abruptly at the threshold as if held at bay by some supernatural force. Keeping her eyes and attention attuned to that opening, Jasmine readied her net gun in her left hand. She'd seen Kujhade use it a few times, and always thought it was handy as hell to have in your arsenal.

Jasmine continued to move laterally, trying to pay attention to all her surroundings, but keeping special focus to the cave entrance. She stepped lightly and quietly. The vegetation here lacked all the trees, but was dense and most of the grasses and bushes came up to her waist. It was perfect for her to hide herself in.

 _Or perfect for them to hide in, take your pick. Who's hunting who?_

The thought came and went, as she had no time to quell in fear, or get sidetracked in her own musings. She flipped spectrums again. There was nothing, nothing, nothing then…

By the time she saw it, it had already shot out of the cave entrance like a bullet from the chamber, screeching horribly, and running on all fours. There was almost no time. For as much as she was trying not to get caught off guard, it had happened anyway. She'd never seen it in action, and had no time to marvel at it now. Without thinking she'd done just as she planned. She shot out the net gun, the alien's own momentum tripping it up, as it flipped end-over-end towards her. It was struggling as the net began to cut through it. Its acidic blood began to burn through the net, as she stood there gawking. Her body got into motion, not wanting to give it a chance to get out. With her combi-stick already drawn, Jasmine ran over and began to haphazardly stab it over and over. It shrieked and twisted and turned, trying its best to get out, but dying before it could. Jasmine realized that she was the only one still screaming, as she finally stopped stabbing it all about the body. Dteinou had told her to not damage the skull for trophy purposes.

Just as she wrenched the combi-stick free, something ran into her like a bony, sharp, freight train. Before she knew it, she was skidding on her back, with gnashing teeth in her face, and only her combi-stick as the barrier.

" _Hard meats are ambush predators. Where there is one, there is always another. Be wary," Dteinou had said._

Had she been wary? Hell fuck no! She'd been too caught up in the dizzying, frightful euphoria of killing the first one that attacked her. She'd forgotten that there were other ones… duh! Now she was in a fucking jam underneath a thing that would take great pleasure in piercing her skull with its inner mouth. The nasty inner maw just kept jabbing at the air right in front of her bio-mask. She knew that the mask was not strong enough to withstand the force of the thing's jaws if it managed to strike her even one time, so Jasmine kept moving her head from side to side, dodging it as best she could as she finally skidded to a halt against one of the old columns. Before she could think of what to do, it jumped off her, but not to run. She tried to scramble to her feet, but felt something wind around her body, pick her up and slam her against the tall metal column which had stopped her slide. Jasmine had no time to register the blood running in small rivulets down her back from sliding on sharp rocks and twigs. She had just enough conscious thought to realize that it had her in its tail, and was attempting to bash her until she was unable to move or struggle. Due to its acidic blood, Jasmine was leery of cutting the tail to get out, but what other choice did she have? Not many. Time was running out. Just as she was about to bring it up to make her move, one good slam made drop her combi-stick. Her only saving grace now was that it was a bad angle, and she wasn't hitting the column with as much force as her alien assailant seemed to think. It would have been more dangerous if she were being slammed against one of the edges, but she was hitting the flat side, and the thing's tail was taking the brunt of that.

It seemed to realize this fact around the same time she did. It snarled viciously, drool pouring from its open mouth, as it seemed to contemplate why she was not yet dead. It was now or never. It already had the upper hand as it were. It was getting pissed off that she hadn't died yet, and Jasmine didn't want to know what kind of scattered, insane thoughts ran through the mind of something like this thing in front of her. Having gotten on all fours to gain the leverage to slam her around, it finally raised itself to its full height, and slowly began to bring her closer. Now, panic was starting to settle in around the edges of her adrenaline rush. This was the end. If she didn't think of something, anything, quick it would be over before it truly began, and she would be nothing more than a failed experiment.

Could humans survive a regular, run-of-the-mill chiva? Of course not. At best, they get a lucky kill as she had just done, but when the real fight came, they're dog meat. Toast. Finished. Not even an asterisk in the long history of chivas. Humans didn't have what it took to kill or be killed. All they could do was cower, maybe mate, if they're lucky enough, birth a pup that in a few years' time would be strong enough to hunt its mother and kill her like the pathetic piece of prey she was.

 _(Is this your fate, you pathetic bitch? Was Kujhade wrong to believe that you had a snowball's chance in hell to make it through this? What will you do? Will you die? Or will you kill?!)_

In the few seconds it took those thoughts to formulate, and then pass from her, it had brought her within reach of its lethal inner jaw. She could smell its foul breath, feel each spike of its long bony tail digging themselves into her skin and drawing blood, she could see the quiver of its upper lip as its fangs were revealed, and she could hear the terrible hiss, like some ancient malevolent serpent of myth or legend. It was toying with her, frightening her for the sake of it. It had its helpless prey in prime kill position, and would now savor the kill. Slowly, the inner jaws came forward, ghosting against her masked forehead, snapping and nipping, threatening the final blow but not delivering it. All this time, Jasmine had gone limp, which only served to lull this thing into believing that it had the upper hand, and that she was now too weak or too scared to keep fighting. The truth, was that she was terrified beyond words to describe it. It was worse than facing the bad bloods, mainly because she had no reason to believe this thing formed any conscious thoughts. It was an animal. A vicious animal, and nothing more. It did not live by any code of honor, or anything else.

Whatever it was waiting on, it was over with nearly as quickly as it began. Maybe it was bored now, so just wanted to kill her and move to the next thing. It hissed again, and even gave her a little shake, but Jasmine made not a sound, nor moved a muscle. She hung limp in its grip, waiting. Its head moved back by a fraction of an inch, like a snake just before striking.

Just as the inner jaw jutted forward, Jasmine hacked its segmented tail with her wrist blade. It screeched in surprised anger and dropped her, but immediately began trying to stab her with the tip of its tail. Jasmine rolled from one side to the other, but finally was pinned with a stab through the left shoulder.

"FUCK!" She yelled out, as a hot searing pain burned its way through her. The pain only intensified when it yanked its serrated tail out of the wound again. She quickly turned on her stomach, crawling now in blind terror away from it. Every time she even thought about moving her left shoulder it racked her body in pain.

"Aaaagggh!" She howled, as she felt the bladed tip of its tail pierce her thigh close to the bone. She was feeling frantically around for the combi-stick, but it was lost in the tall grass all around her. Panic was full-blown now. Everything she was trained to do had flown out of the window. Now, she was just scared shitless, and not wanting to die. No one would come to save her. No deus ex machina. She would live or die right here in this grass. She cast a single terrified glance over her shoulder to see it stalking behind her. With a final screech, it leaped in the air a little, apparently planning to jump her and end it. Now, there wasn't anything to think about. All she saw was her death, and self-preservation took over. Quickly, she popped her cleats and flipped over on her back, just in time to catch it in mid-leap. It caught sharp cleats to the chest when it landed. Letting off another angry shriek, it frantically slashed at her legs, scratching deep gauges into her already injured thighs. The blood was pouring unabated now. She only had a moment to register that her right thigh was spurting blood in time to her heartbeat.

With a mighty heave, she kicked the thrashing alien off her. It landed a couple of feet away. It didn't immediately attack, seeming to figure a better plan that didn't involve getting stabbed by a million little knives. The gloves were fucking off! As far as she was concerned, it had killed her already, as she was bleeding to death, so might as well do what she really came here to do. She did not know where the strength had been drawn from, and she didn't care. Jasmine rose unsteadily to her feet. She felt the blood from her legs began to sink into her boots. No matter. Not bothering anymore with trying to find her combi-stick, Jasmine brandished her wrist blades, and let out her own guttural growl. She was baring her teeth like a rabid dog, even though it couldn't see that and likely wouldn't have cared. Maybe it was the influence of living with, mating, eating, sleeping, and training with yautja that made her do it, but it felt natural and right all the same. With a battle cry erupting from her, Jasmine crouched even lower, ignoring the throbbing pain in her shoulder and legs, and spread her arms wide, arched her back, and shook her head, her long braids smacking her shoulders and face. A challenge. It seemed to understand that on whatever level it understood things, for it appeared to answer her with its own snarling screech.

Jasmine wasn't thinking anymore. She was simply reacting. Her body was now doing what it had been trained to do for close to two years now. She had never felt it or experienced it before today. Today, facing this thing which had delivered a delayed coup-de-grace, she felt only the need to kill it, only the overwhelming desire to win at any and all costs. Warriors all throughout history, spoke of a sort of bloodlust that took one over in the midst of battle. It intensified the closer you were to death. That was what she was feeling now.

It ran at her, but she was ready this time. Instead of waiting for whatever it was going to do, Jasmine ran headlong at it as well. If the best defense was having a good offense, then she was going to put that to the test. She tried to tackle it, but it drove her backwards instead. Determined not to lose her footing and end up on her back, Jasmine put her head into its thin but ridiculously hard chest area, and plant her feet, driving with all her lower body strength against it. It managed to bite her already injured shoulder, targeting her weak points. She ground her teeth, pushing through the pain as she began to flip through the spectrums of the mask. There had to be a weak spot on this thing, and she finally found it. Its exoskeleton was not a single piece. Like most insects that had exoskeletons, it was comprised of jointed parts. It had softer areas right between what passed for its ribs. It was made of tendons and musculature. Not much, but something was better than nothing. She drove her wrist blades between its bony structure, piercing the flesh until its caustic blood bubbled forth.

It reared its head back and gave an unearthly scream, raking her back with its claws. Taking advantage of its apparent surprise, Jasmine drove upwards, spearheading it in its now exposed throat. She had to do this repeatedly to knock it off balance. It grabbed her in a sort of hug as they both fell, with Jasmine on top. It was a horrible experience to be on top of something that wouldn't stop screeching, clawing, and struggling underneath you. She was almost thrown a few times as she stabbed it, and she had to watch not to get caught up getting its blood on her as well.

The tail. At any point in time, it was the most dangerous appendage. It was effective at both close and mid-range. She had to get rid of it somehow. Just as she was focusing on that, said appendage grabbed her once again around her middle, and tossed her back against the tall column. She landed with a nice smack and slid down to the ground. Now she was fucking woozy, both from the jarring hit, and from excessive blood loss. Time was ticking. If she had to die, she was damn well going to take this fucking thing with her. She could hear it hissing as she lay in the tall grass, trying to gain her wits; willing her mind to clear. Absently she searched around with her hand, and there it was. Her combi-stick. She grabbed it in her hand and kept a tight hold. The hissing got closer, then she saw it. The next couple of things happened in the space of a few seconds only. Just as it was about to land on top of her, Jasmine raised the end of the stick, making it impale itself through the midsection, then quickly rolled from underneath it as its blood poured forth, disintegrating the grass. It thrashed and screeched for all it was worth. She had to finish this now, because it seemed as if it would work itself off the combi-stick eventually.

The tail was lashing again. It'd had a lot of success grabbing and slamming her with it, and it was attempting to do so again. This time she was watching it. When it came for her, she allowed it to wind around her waist, as there was no other way to get ahold to it. Once it had her, she began to hack at it with the wrist blades. It seemed to panic, trying desperately to drop her, but Jasmine held on.

"What's the matter bitch?! Don't wanna play no more?!" She screamed as she finally cut through it.

Falling with the end of the tail still wrapped around her, she managed to untangle herself from it, noting that it was very lightweight. With waning strength, Jasmine scurried to her feet. She took the length of cable from her waist belt, and wound it around her hands like a garrote. The stump of its tail slashed the air, droplets of its blood flinging everywhere. Without concern for whether she would be burned or not, Jasmine used her last bit of lower body strength to jump its back. Her added weight forced it all the way to the ground, with the combi-stick coming clean through it. It was still struggling, but not quite as mightily or effectively as before. With the cable, she was able to get her arms around its thin neck and then pulled with all her might. She pressed her cleated boots between the shoulder spines on its back, and pulled some more. It released strangled cries, and she could feel the neck giving way. The cable began to cut through the palms of her hands, but she couldn't stop now. It feebly tried to reach around itself to scratch at her, but with a loud crack, the neck broke. The cable had managed to slice through it a little too, and sensing that, Jasmine began to create a sawing motion, thereby decapitating the obsidian monster. She had to scramble away from the first spurts of blood, lest she be truly burned by it. Miraculously, none of it had landed on her skin. It had only gotten on parts of her armor, but it had been designed to withstand the caustic nature of this creature's blood.

The adrenaline crash was fantastic, but still there was one last thing to do before she died of tremendous blood loss. When they found, or if they came for her body, they would have to know she was blooded. They would have to know she had died honorably, and not a coward. With violently shaking hands, Jasmine reached to grab one of the smaller spines from the stump of its tail. It was easy to pry off, and she dipped the tip of it in the bubbling puddle of blood on the jungle floor.

Kujhade had made her practice the symbol for their clan over and over until she had memorized each stroke without error. She closed her eyes, and willed her hand to be steady, as she raised it to her forehead. Two side strokes, one long stroke down, one stroke under the long one at a downward angle, from left to right. After all the various cuts and injuries, both great and small, Jasmine did not even feel the sting of the acid on her forehead. With that important task accomplished, she managed to scoot herself until her back was against her favorite pillar.

The world was fading in and out, but she had to try. After all this, she owed it to herself and her children to try to live. She scanned her most grievous injury; the arterial bleeding in her thigh. The creature had pierced her femoral artery, and the spurting of blood was still powerful. She had to staunch it at all costs. She struggled to wrap a tourniquet around her thigh, but breathed a sigh of relief when she finally got it in place. The blood went from geyser to small babbling brook instantly. Before she did anything else, she would need to manage her incredible pain. Her left shoulder was nearly out of commission, and she would have to see to it as well. She fumbled for the medikit, dreading any and all of the instruments, tonics, vials, and serums within. Lijia had specially prepared it for her, already having a firm handle on the dosage needed for a human. She had even given her a small syringe that fit in her hand normally, and not the huge ones they used. Only able to minimally use her left hand, she did her best to fill the syringe with the pain killer. She screamed as she pried the shoulder armor from her body. She shot herself just under the wound, then howled in pain, like a wolf to a full moon. She then repeated it for the wound in her thigh Using the mask, she could see the depth of the stab. It had gone nearly to the bone. It was only by some small wonder that it had not severed the entire limb. Jasmine grabbed the handheld vacuum that was normally used for trophy cleaning in the field. It was made to suck up excess blood and gore, and she used it now for that very purpose. She had to get all this excess blood out before she closed the wound. Working a little better now that the fast-acting painkiller was snaking its way through her bloodstream, she was able to steady her hand, and put the vacuum at its lowest setting. In a matter of seconds, the gruesome laceration was cleared, and now it was time to close it. This was the part she was most afraid of. She'd seen how all these medicines worked, but they were hell to administer. First, she opened the small burner and set it alight. She then crumbled a powder into the small metal bowl, and poured a clear thin liquid over the top. With a small spatula type tool, she mashed this into a thin paste, then let it simmer. She would need to work quickly now if she didn't want her paste to burn before she could make use of it. There were scary looking metal clips in the medikit, used for either holding a wound open, or clamping it closed. Taking two deep breaths, she used one to hold the tender wound open, screaming like a banshee the whole time. She was sweating profusely, trying not to let herself black out from the pain and trauma of having to perform a procedure on herself in the field. Hurriedly, she used the spatula to scoop a bit of the still runny paste directly into the gash, which chemically sealed the breached artery.

She blacked out, but it must have been only for an instant, as she still had the spatula in her hand, and the paste hadn't burned. Turning the clamp around, she closed the wound, and spread the hot cauterizing paste over it, instantly sealing it, but it would leave a big nasty scar in its place. Her throat was raw from the amount of screaming she was doing, knowing that it might draw unwanted attention.

She was aching and throbbing all over, but she had to finish it up to be functional. Everyone had been offered a topical analgesic, but it was in bad taste to accept it, or use it. It was seen as weakness, and when it was offered to her, she also declined. She didn't regret the decision. If she was going to prove herself an equal, she would have to do things as they did. She quickly cleaned her shoulder wound with an antibacterial wash, then closed it as she had done to her leg. Sweating, she leaned her head back momentarily to catch her breath. After a moment or two, she gathered her supplies and all her weapons, and replaced her shoulder guard. She'd wrapped a bit of a gauzy material around her thigh tightly, and then stood on wobbly feet. Two. She'd killed two. She'd come into this thing not knowing that she would make it out, not wanting to do anything more than meet the criteria if she could, and get the hell out of there. She'd gotten two, and that was all that she needed. She could have gone back right now, but she shook her head in negation of the thought.

The first issue, was her young clan sister. Jasmine wanted to find her, and see if she was okay. If she could help her without dishonoring or disqualifying her, she would. No clan member of hers, especially Dteinou's adopted daughter, would be left behind in any fight. Then there was the second issue. The bloodlust. For the first time, she felt the thrill of the hunt, and the rush at the thought of hunting something down and killing it. Winning at the most dangerous game had both exhilarated and frightened her; and she needed more. She'd gotten one lucky kill, and one hard-fought kill, but she had not yet proven that she could _hunt_ it. There was a difference.

With all her gear present and accounted for, Jasmine drug the hard meat bodies back to a marked wall. She would have to get the trophies later. She turned towards the darkened cave mouth. She then checked her wrist gauntlet and realized that her clan sister was still inside. She readjusted her mask, and as stealthily as she could, made her way inside the cave.

* * *

By this time, the crowd gathered at the landing bay were all tuned in to Jasmine's feed, except for a few. Everyone wanted to see if the little stupid ooman could survive even one hard meat attack. When she went down from the second attack, there were many who were excited to see her apparent failure. When she got back up to fight, it was only her clan which roared and cheered in excitement, Mar'cte being the ring leader.

Within the private viewing room, Kujhade was at the edge of his seat watching Jasmine. The first kill was almost improbably easy, but he roared in disapproval when she failed to notice the second kiande amedha stalking her. It had her down, stabbing her, killing her. It had eventually disarmed her, and it seemed as though she had not been able to implement any part of her training. His mandibles clicked in anxious worry, as the other clan leaders cast glances at him. _Told you so_ , those looks said, and it angered him deeply. She was down in the tall grass. She had what was likely a mortal wound, but somehow she stood, and when she stood, Kujhade also got to his feet.

"Dtai'k-dte!" He roared at the screen. When he saw her issue the traditional fight challenge, spreading her arms and arching her back, he did the exact same thing complete with a bellowing roar, and then pounded his chest with a large fist. The others present in the room were stunned that he was so animated about a simple chiva. Kujhade was ever the reserved one, quiet, brooding, and often unreadable. Now, he was pacing the floor right in front of his seat, moving his hands as if he were the one killing hard meats.

He and Dteinou watched with bated breath and chattering tusks, as Jasmine managed against all odds to not only kill the hard meat, but do so with only grit and determination. She had stopped hesitating, and now she was acting upon all the training she'd received. Nearly every eye was watching her, as she managed to climb its back and even remove its worthless head from its body. Although they could not hear one another, both Kujhade and Mar'cte roared and beat their chests again, when she claimed an undisputed victory, and then successfully marked herself even before she tended her wounds.

He couldn't stop pacing the floor, his pride swelling in his chest, when she bravely applied the medicines to herself without passing into a long sleep. The others stood astonished. Never had they witnessed a human pass a hard meat trial on purpose. Yes, sometimes there was that exceptional human which managed to best one of their own, but that was always during a hunt where _they_ were the prey. Now, the human was the hunter, and she was making decent use of her tools, and was showing a capacity to adopt their hunting culture. She had even shown the ability to focus her fear and energy on killing her prey, rather than succumbing to any injuries or her fear. Now that the two hard meats had been killed, everyone, including Mar'cte, Kujhade, Lijia, and Dteinou, thought the she would naturally make her way back to the pod. There was nothing left to do now. She had bested two hard meats as per the requirement, and she had survived well enough to make it back, with plenty of time to boot. But, Kujhade tilted his head in confusion when, instead of collecting her skulls, she simply seemed to store the bodies away. He saw her look towards her ship, standing there, seeming to come to some decision. He nervously clicked his tusks. Why wasn't she coming back? He balled his fists at his sides, and waited to see what she would do now. Outside, Lijia and Mar'cte cast worried glances at each other, as scattered laughter could be heard throughout the crowd.

 _"Foolish ooman!"_

 _"Does she think she can hunt them?"_

 _"She should thank Paya to even be alive!"_

Mar'cte growled at the jeers, but there was nothing he could really do about it.

Inside, Thwei Nikhou'te had been watching from a short distance, not wanting to bother Kujhade with his presence. He too, was in a bit of confusion at her reluctance to come back, until he figured it out. When he did, he gave a short bark of amusement, and clicked his mandibles excitedly. Kujhade turned, spotted the elder and gave a low warning growl. He hadn't forgotten the elder's affections directed at his mate. Thwei motioned towards the screen, indicating that Kujhade should watch it. Kujhade did turn back to the screen; and his mandibles fell slack in complete shock. In a flash, he went to view the small female's location and realized she was still in the cave, and she was in trouble. There was no way that Jasmine could have suspected that, yet she was headed directly into the nest. He turned to Dteinou, who was unflinchingly watching the young female's performance, and Jasmine's decision.

Outside at the landing bay, the crowd had once again gone into a shocked silence, the earlier jeers dying down. With a loud roar, Mar'cte once again beat his chest, and then addressed the general gathering.

"Where is your mocking now? Will it not be said, that the arbitrator's mate has honor?! Will it not be said, that the arbitrator's mate is brave to face her prey, and enter the true hunt?!" He shouted, to the hushed group. Only a scattered few voiced their agreement with his assessment, but it didn't matter to him. Jasmine's actions were speaking for themselves.

"Kujhade, what is your mate doing?" Dteinou asked, in an uncharacteristically hushed tone. She was stoic, but her eyes were shining with an unmistakable pride as she too began to understand.

"Dteinou Thei-de. Jasmine is hunting," Kujhade spoke with a fierce pride welling up inside his chest.

* * *

 **A/N: Did I do okay? I was soooo nervous to write any of this, much less to post it. I wanted to be more descriptive here than I usually am. Since we've never been to this place, I wanted you to envision the terrain as I imagined, and I hope that you were able to see it in your mind's eye too. I thought it would be cool to give her an easy kill, but then make her work for the second. I like how she enters into bloodlust, and that it surprises her. I tried to pay homage to the medical scenes from the first two films, where the pred works on himself after an injury. I'm super anxious to know your thoughts. There is a part two coming, as we chronicle what happens in the cave, and I'm also going to give the young female some screen time as well. She deserves it.**

 **Translation:**

 **Dtai'k-dte = Fight!**


	16. Come Back Home

Her shoulder cannon was overheating, so now she was left only with her combi-stick, and her wrist blades. Perfect. In her eagerness to collect as many trophies as possible, and then find the queen, the female who preferred to remain nameless found herself positively surrounded by hard meats. One of her goals, was to be just like Dteinou, who had on a few occasions regaled her with her own chiva story, and how she'd helped kill a queen. Dteinou was her role model, and she was the best bearer.

The small female did not know who she was, or what her pedigree was. From all that she'd been told, she was found next to her bearer, who'd died giving birth to her. She was taken and then after having been found fit to live, had been sold to a group of hunters running a large clanship. This was before Bakuub apparently, but she had few memories of that place. It was cruel, that's all she remembered. The clan leader paid her little mind, and she only curried favor by serving him. After that, she was sold again to Bakuub's clan, and it was there that she had received decent treatment. The cooks on the ship sort of took her under their wing, and that was why she'd ended up a server in the ship's cafeteria. Making the choice to join the pale hunter's small clan was easy. Even though she had fought with his mate before, (the little ooman had started that little fracas by the way) she knew the pale hunter to have an honorable reputation. In the following time after Setg'in's takeover, she had regretted her treatment of him, which was why she was always at his beck and call now.

The pale hunter treated her well, but nothing compared to what Dteinou had done. When she wasn't training her to hunt and giving instruction on other important things, Dteinou showed her a tenderness that she had never known before. A tenderness, that only a bearer was capable of showing to her pup. It was evident in the gentle strokes to her tendrils when she did well, and the fact that she was not beaten and scolded for every mistake. This only fueled her admiration of her foster bearer, and made her wish to follow in her great footsteps.

It wasn't working out too well. For as glorious as this battle was, it didn't seem as if it would end with her survival. She'd walked right into a guarded nesting room, and had to back out in a hurry, as she realized she was surrounded. She retraced her steps to a long narrow corridor where she could bottleneck them, and there were still too many. At her feet lay the bodies of those she had slain, and still they came pouring out of that dreadful nursery. Her original intent was to go in there and blast all the eggs to hell, and in that way, draw out the queen who was never too far from the egg chambers. She'd blasted nearly half the number of eggs before all the drones came to attack. She was slowly backing up, knowing that the narrowed corridor opened into a larger chamber. She didn't want to lead them in there, as her chances of surviving the onslaught dropped dramatically if she couldn't keep them all in front of her. That was when she engaged the plasma canon. It was functional, but not the very best or even the latest model, so it took a few precious seconds to recharge after each blast.

The drones were so fast. It was exhilarating to face something so challenging. Now, she understood the reason they were held in such high esteem as far as prey were concerned. For all those getting past the canon, she had her combi-stick at the ready. They came from all angles, crawling along the floor, walls, and ceiling of the cave towards her. In the blackness, she had to rely on the mask to see them all. She'd set the plasma canon to turret mode, so that as soon as it was ready to fire, it would target and shoot on its own without her having to manage it. She stopped a few yards shy of going into the open space. This is where she would make her stand. With a roar that echoed throughout the space, the nameless female began to cut down drone after drone. It was efficient. She was going for headshots, making sure to stab them through their thick skulls, or decapitate them. It was best to kill them in a single stroke if at all possible. Only a few got close enough to pose a true threat. For the first two, she managed to rip out the inner mouth, then use its body as a weapon, holding it by the tail and swinging it in wide arcs. The numbers were thinning, until one dropped from above and swiped the turret from her shoulder rig. Immediately, she killed that one, but the damage was already done. Now not having the extra firepower would prove detrimental. She'd managed to kill at least fifteen in this one corridor, but there had to be twenty more or so still ready to attack.

She had been foolhardy and too ambitious, but what a glorious price to pay! Sure, Dteinou would not be pleased, but if she could meet the Black Hunter with as many trophies as she had collected, then perhaps she would not have shamed her adopted bearer after all. She was killing them as fast as she could, but now they were able to press their attack. Snarling and drooling, they quickly closed in and attempted to encircle her. To prevent it, she was forced to back up, but that was part of their tactic. Once she was forced into a more open space, there was nothing to stop them from attacking all at once, and then her hunt would be over. With a ferocity that she was more than happy to display, the nameless young female fought for all she was worth. Everything that Dteinou had tried to teach her, she now employed. It was risky in such a narrow space, but she even used her smart disc. It had gotten down to the wire now, as she was nearly in the open cave chamber. She sent the smart disc flying. It cut neatly through a few, sending up sparks each time it hit the rocky walls. The drones showed their speed again, as many of them dodged the disc nimbly. However, quite a few did not, and fell to pieces on the cave floor. Only a few more, but she was running out of real estate. With no other alternative, and the drones closing in about her, the young nameless female made peace with her impending death. She backed into the open cavern, and struck her stance.

[][][][][]

Jasmine could hear all-out war erupting very nearby. She flipped to a different spectrum of her mask, allowing her to see the hard meats, and see where the hell she was going. Just in case she ran into a bunch of them, she engaged the plasma cannon. Her wrist blades were out, as well as her combi-stick. The strong painkiller she'd taken not only dulled all her pain, it had gotten her high, and she could feel herself become dangerously more emboldened. The noise of fighting was getting louder as she began to truly pinpoint her clan sister's location. Jasmine was almost right on top of her. As a matter of fact, she was pretty much around a tight bend of a corner, but then she saw one. It tried to slither quietly above her, but she was ready.

 _Two can play this game, slimy fucker_ , she thought to herself. She pretended not to notice it, as it got right above her then leaned down close enough for the kill. If she weren't slightly high, she would have had time to think about how scarily silent this thing was, but as it stood she could only focus on the weird sort of rush she was getting for the impending kill. They struck at the same time, but Jasmine was a little faster. With her wrist blade, she had cut clean through the front of its skull, basically cutting its face off. The body fell with a plop, the face rolling a short way before it stopped. Kill number three. It filled her with confidence, and with a need to do even more. This was getting out of hand. Very deliciously, sadistically out of hand. Two more jumped out at her as she turned the corner. They surprised her, as an inner mouth scraped the side of her masked face, cracking it a little in the process. Before she could kill that one, she was attacked by the other. Quickly, she stabbed the one closest to her in the chest, then tossed it away before its blood could burn her. Meanwhile, the other had jumped her from the front, knocking her to the ground. It tried desperately to stab her with its mouth. Jasmine couldn't get a good stab in without getting blood on her, so she was forced to grab that disgusting tiny mouth in her hand. The thing started screaming, trying anything not to be in such a vulnerable position. The drool coating her hand, face, and arm, was astronomical.

"Don't like this, do you? Gimme this fucking thing!" Jasmine yelled. She then pulled mightily, receiving fresh scratches all over her arms, and belly. With less effort than she thought it would take, the small mouth pulled free, with a stream of acid following it. Good thing that her mask was resistant to it. Still, she scrambled away from it. The hard meat retreated also, screaming at her, but not as lethal as it was before. Like a declawed cat, it was not as eager to attack having been de-fanged as it were. Jasmine wasn't going to play any games. Yelling, she ran towards it, her combi-stick making quick work before it could climb up the wall and out of her reach.

Smiling to herself, and literally feeling no pain, Jasmine turned the corner to find the young female in a fight for her life. She was fighting valiantly, but it was time to even these odds. Jasmine could hear the shrieks of hard meats as the ones fighting seemed to be calling for reinforcements.

"Not today Satan," Jasmine quipped, then warmed the plasma cannon.

[][][][][]

Somehow there were more. The young female had nearly killed all of them, but they were calling others. Dimly, she was aware of another presence, and was about to turn and confront this new enemy, when a familiar blueish light flashed brightly in the darkness. The heat, and then the furious screeches, told her all she needed to know. She only took one glance to see her clan leader's mate firing her plasma cannon.

Jasmine was running right into the fray, yelling, cursing, and shooting anything that wasn't a yautja. They were falling, but she hadn't gotten the full hang of turret mode, and her tracking and firing were much slower than the hard meats were capable of moving. At this point, there were only about ten left, and they were all coming for Jasmine. Her weapon was the most destructive, so she needed to be eliminated. This gave the young female the advantage. As they ran towards another foe, she unleashed her smart disc cutting them down from the back, as Jasmine cut them with the cannon from the front. Suddenly, the cavern full of hard meats was now eerily empty. The only thing that could be heard was the sizzling of their blood as it met the cave floor. Each of the females scanned the room for more before deciding they were alone.

"I see you lived. The clan leader will be pleased," the female said, making note of all Jasmine's injuries. She shrugged.

"I see you've been busy too. Did you kill all these by yourself?" Jasmine asked, then gave the female a long look. She stood proud. She'd killed quite a few now that she'd had a chance to stop and look.

"How you gonna carry back all these skulls?" Jasmine asked.

"Won't. Just something from each kill to prove," she said, bending down to pluck claws and bony spines from this one and that, filling her bag, and even placing some along the straps of her armor.

"You're hurt. You should do something about all that bleeding," Jasmine said. The young female paused, looked over the various wounds, then shrugged them off to continue gathering small trophies.

"Small. Nothing," she answered. Jasmine smiled.

"You know, I'm sick of calling you 'pretty girl'. Thought of a name yet?" Jasmine asked. The young girl seemed to think about it for a moment.

"I was thinking, Nanku Bhu'ja," she said quietly, as if she were shy to state her own thoughts on the matter. "But of course, this isn't up to me. I will let my bearer to decide," she said. In that moment, Jasmine really saw how young she was despite her fiery, fearsome nature. It made her smile behind her mask.

They both got back on alert when they heard a terrible screech echo from deep within the cave. Nanku looked at Jasmine, then quickly got to her feet.

"That was a queen," she said, and began moving towards the sound.

"Yeah I know, that means we should get the fuck out of here Nanku!" Jasmine shouted behind her, knowing that deterring her from going after a queen was a futile task.

"Are you crazy? Are you scared?" Nanku asked, half-jokingly but also slightly irritated at Jasmine's hesitancy. Jasmine stood straight.

"First, Ms. Smartass, I'm not scared. I'm not crazy either, I'm smart. Which is why we don't need to go fucking with the damn queen! She's gonna kill the shit out of us!" She said, but Nanku was even more annoyed.

"Then we die with honor!"

"I've got kids to get back to!"

"Then don't die!"

That shut Jasmine's mouth. It was stupid as hell in her opinion, but not going to face the most dangerous parts, was akin to running scared. It would negate the kills she'd made, in spirit if not in reality. The screech rent the stale air again, and this time Nanku went off in its direction at a careful trot. Putting her head down, Jasmine had no choice but to follow.

They ventured back down the long corridor, with Nanku picking up her plasma cannon along the way. She readjusted it upon her shoulder as she went along. Eventually, they ended up at the entrance of the half-destroyed nursery. Jasmine looked around at Nanku's handiwork; impressive. Without having to be told, it was Jasmine who fired first upon the eggs which were starting to open. Nanku joined in, and made short work of destroying every egg and facehugger inside.

"Now what, queenslayer?" Jasmine teased. Nanku scanned the room, then seemed to find what she was looking for.

"There is an opening there," she said pointing upwards to what seemed to Jasmine just a large crack in the ceiling.

"Okay?"

"So, we have to go through it. The queen will not be far from the egg chamber," Nanku stated. She then went to the wall, starting to negotiate her way up towards the opening. She then stopped in her tracks, and gave a vicious growl. Jasmine zeroed in at the same time, and readied her cannon and weapons.

It hissed loud and long. It was huge, much bigger than the drones they'd been killing. From her studies, Jasmine recognized this as a Praetorian. This was a warrior class hard meat, and one she hadn't anticipated running into. She checked her timer. Not too good. They only had a couple more hours, but who knew how long it would take to either kill it or die trying. Without eyes, it certainly seemed to be assessing its two potential victims, although it hadn't yet moved. It had come through the very opening that Nanku was headed towards. She was stark still, having not yet climbed the wall. She was standing on top of a large boulder, her stance allowing her to be ready for anything. It moved ever so slightly, and Nanku wasted no time shooting at it. The blast only clipped it, as it dropped from the ceiling, and began to run across the nursery towards Jasmine.

"Oh fuck!" she exclaimed, before firing her own shots. Jasmine quickly backpedaled to the entrance, still firing shots. She was hitting it, one blast even landing square in its chest. That slowed it, but didn't stop it completely. It fell backwards right into Nanku's attack. With her combi-stick, she attacked ferociously from the back, attacking its tail to disarm it from at least one of its weapons. It wheeled around on her, knocking her back against the cave wall with a loud smack. Nanku, slid down the wall, shaking her head to clear it. The Praetorian turned slowly back towards Jasmine, upper lip quivering, drool pooling around the floor. Not knowing how the hell she was going to attack this thing, Jasmine struck her own stance. She figured that she would try the tactic she'd had success with before, and the one Nanku attempted; get rid of the tail. The only trick was getting behind it at this point. It would turn out, that she wouldn't need to. It lashed out, trying to stab her with the large serrated tip. She rolled first left, then right, narrowly avoiding a gruesome death. Jasmine dodged once more, but it tripped her. It then hastily grabbed her by the ankle, dragging her towards itself. Perfect. She found herself dangling upside down, the maw of the beast, ready to end her life. Before she could become hard meat chow, Nanku roared at it from behind. When it turned its attention, Jasmine took that opportunity to slice through its tail tip with her spear. Shrieking, it dropped her to the hard floor below. A nice sharp rock dug itself into her back. Even though the pain was dull now, she knew she'd be in pain when it wore off. Nanku pressed her attack. The flash of the plasma cannon blast was brilliant in the darkness. It came from different angles, as Nanku began to run at a diagonal, then jump to the wall. She would then ricochet off like a parkour expert, and slam into it with her combi-stick. Instead of being a spectator, Jasmine got on the attack. She tossed the smart disc at the large alien. It was chipping away at its small crown, but not doing much damage. In reality, it was only pissing it off, and realizing that it no longer had the tip of its tail, began to fling its blood in her direction. She'd been lucky so far with that, but this time she was hit square in the front with it. It instantly began to burn through. In desperation, Jasmine flung herself to the floor which had puddles of water, and some other goop, which she was sure came from the eggs they'd smashed. It was one of the grossest things she had ever done, but the burning was soothed immediately. Apparently, the egg goop acted as a neutralizing agent, and Jasmine was grateful for that.

In the meantime, Nanku was having to dodge the acid assault, as well as everything else. She'd made considerable headway as far as damage. Her off-the-wall attacks were being quite effective, and she showed no signs of tiring, but neither was the praetorian. It pressed, trying to cut off Nanku's space by herding her into a corner where it could do the most damage. She tried to vault over it, but got caught midair. She roared loudly, and Jasmine noticed that half Nanku's mask had been damaged and was missing. She didn't seem overly bothered by it, as she then used her wrist blade to slice off the hand that held her. The praetorian shrieked again, and stumbled back, but that was only for a moment. Angrier than ever, it tried again to press Nanku into a corner, but the young female was too wily for that. Taking a running start as if to attack, she slid between its legs, using the slime from the eggs as the slip. Getting behind it, she then tried to cut more of the tail away, but the hard meat used it to slap her back across the chamber.

Jasmine had to think and do it quick. She looked around frantically, hoping a good idea would magically pop into her head. What could she use? That acid was no joke, and to avoid it, she would constantly have to keep diving… into… the… goop? That was it! She had not time to be disgusted. Like a sow in slop, Jasmine wallowed from head-to-toe in the egg "yolk" and slime. She looked to see that Nanku was doing a good job, but was getting hemmed into a corner. Jasmine would have to get closer and help kill this fucking thing. Both of them had more stamina than she did, and she knew the painkiller she had taken would eventually wear off. She had another stroke of genius, as her eyes landed on all the drone carcasses littering the floor. Scampering on all fours so as not to draw attention, Jasmine got out her hunting knife and looked for something to cut off of the body to use as a shield. If the acid didn't burn the egg stuff, then it stood to reason that they could not be harmed by their own blood. She smiled humorlessly, and began to cut away at the head.

She was disturbed to find that underneath the front carapace, the black alien had a human skull structure. There were eye sockets although there was nothing inside except a gathering of tissues, that Jasmine could only think of as nerve bundles. That probably was incorrect, but that's the first thing that came to mind when looking at it. It also had the two nostrils, the septum, a human jawbone, and the teeth although those were a tad sharper and the wrong color. The fact that something so inhuman, would have even a shred of human features anywhere, sent a shiver down her spine that managed to cut through the wonderful numbing fog of the opiate she'd taken. That was the scariest part of all, and she had only tenths of a second to contemplate where exactly these things had originated. Jasmine glanced back at the fight, and saw Nanku slide between this things legs. The young predator glanced back at Jasmine just before getting back-smacked to a wall. Now, it was searching for her. Shit.

What the hell was this human doing? Nanku wondered. This was the second time she'd said a violent hello to a cave wall, and she was getting really sick of it. When she looked back over at Jasmine, she seemed to be hunched over a hard meat, doing something. This was NOT the time to be taking trophies! Roaring in frustration both at Jasmine, and having not killed this larger warrior drone, Nanku bellowed out a terrific roar, which garnered the thing's attention once again. If the human wanted to get trophies, and then get away, that was her business, but Nanku Bhu'ja was going to finish this, and then go for the queen.

Awesome! Great timing Nanku! The young female had just bought her a few precious seconds. Jasmine concentrated on getting the elongated carapace off the body intact. With a few more clumsy strokes, she was able to do just that. It was extremely lightweight just as the tail had been. This was probably how they were able to move so fast. The fuckers were aerodynamic. She quickly cleared all the mucous membrane away with her hand, and then set to work getting another one. This time, it went faster, so now she had the tops of two hard meat skulls. The problem? They weren't actually shields, so they had no handholds, and they were extremely smooth and slick. The cable! The genius ideas just kept on rolling, as Jasmine fished out the length of cable she'd bummed off Kujhade while she was getting dressed for this shit show.

"C'mon, c'mon, c'mon!" She yelled to herself. Nanku was doing alright, but that thing just wouldn't go down and stay down. Also, it seemed to have knocked her shoulder cannon off again as well. Fuck! As quickly as humanly possible, Jasmine cut two pieces of cable, then using her teeth (which called for removing the mask, and disgustingly getting egg goop in her mouth) tied it around the carapace and her forearm. She did the same to her other arm, and now she had something to hold on with. It was a rush job and not likely to be too reliable, but this was all she could do in a pinch. She replaced her mask, and then stood up. She felt like the world's sloppiest, grossest, slimiest super hero, who's also dressed in the world's lamest homemade cosplay outfit. Whatever. She popped her wrist blade, readied her cannon, and ditched the combi-stick. She couldn't hold it and hold the skull-shield at the same time. Stepping through the mess she'd made, Jasmine got its attention.

"Hey you big, ugly, fake crown having ass bitch!" Jasmine yelled over the din of fighting. They both turned. The hard meat with the intent to kill, and Nanku with surprise. Her mask was now completely missing, and she was injured and bleeding.

It hissed at her, then flung acid at her with its cut tail. Jasmine immediately brought up the skulls, and to her delight, wasn't burned. Some had even landed on her legs, and she noticed it didn't burn her there either. So the egg scum worked?! That's what's up! Angered, it flung acid again and again, and each time Jasmine hid behind her makeshift shields and got closer.

"Ah, you gotta do better than that you bitch! Got something for that ass! You gon' learn today!" She taunted. Now, she knew she was high because under any normal circumstances, taunting this thing was NOT okay. Seeming to understand that it was indeed being taunted and teased, it turned fully to face Jasmine. She noticed how much Nanku had given as good as she got. It no longer had hands, as they'd been cut off. Her tail stump was a little shorter, and there were even a few spines missing on its back. It was bleeding in the front from several places, and even had the hilt of a knife protruding from a wound. Maybe it had underestimated its opponents considering neither of them were dead, or even mortally wounded. Instead of attacking right away, it circled Jasmine, trying to understand why the acid had not worked.

She'd been wrong about the clan leader's mate. Nanku was ashamed that she'd had doubts about Jasmine's honor. It seemed the human had created some form of armor, and was also avoiding being harmed by the hard meat's blood. Several times, she'd been directly hit, and had used the skulls of hard meats to block! Nanku hoped that the feed of this was being reported back in real time. The clan leader, would be most proud as well as Dteinou. This gave her new energy. A morale boost, not that she needed one, but it did feel good to fight alongside your clanmate. It was time to end this once for all. Nanku gave another roar, ran, and jumped the hard meat's back with her combi-stick as the anchor. It screeched again and tried to get Nanku off its back, but without any hands or fingers, it proved a futile effort.

Seeing her chance, Jasmine waded in. Taking a running start, she jumped as much as she could, landing on its belly with her wrist blades, and her sharp cleats. Jasmine climbed it, digging relentlessly into its bony frame. With the two hunters on it, attacking from both angles, it had nowhere to turn for respite. It swatted at Jasmine, hitting her, but not managing to knock her off. In the back, Nanku had already made it to the neck, ducking underneath its large crest. She grabbed hold to one of its spikes with one hand, and plunged the spear into the back of the neck repeatedly. It reared its head back, screeches cutting through the air, as it was being killed. The blood from the assault was pouring through the front and onto an ascending Jasmine who ended up just under the throat. In a desperate attempt to get at least one of these attackers off it, the hard meat grabbed Jasmine in a massive bear hug using the stumps of its arms. It then started to stab her with its inner mouth, but she'd managed to get her arms over her head, and was blocking the strikes. Although it wasn't yet able to pierce through the carapaces she held, the sheer force of the blow was enough to threaten breaking her arms. She couldn't take much more. There was a respite, as it had reared its head back again, and began stumbling around. She felt more than saw it open its mouth, and there would be no better time. Jasmine opened her defenses, her plasma cannon charged to its most destructive setting and ready. The only thing she saw was its open maw, a split second before it struck, as she let go a power shot. It went into the open jaws, and blew out the back of its head in a spectacular shower of acid blood, and exoskeleton shrapnel.

Nanku leaped away just in time and landed not too far from the praetorian's floundering form. It still held Jasmine to its dying body, as it fell to the ground in a heap. She escaped its clutches before it could roll over and crush her. She spotted Nanku wasting no time to cut away a trophy piece.

"This is a shared kill Jasmine, you should take a piece of its crest to prove it," she called over her shoulder.

Nodding obediently, Jasmine went over and cut away part of its distinctive crown and put it in the bag, which had miraculously survived everything up to this point.

"The queen must be huge," Nanku commented.

"Why do you say?" Jasmine asked.

"This is only the warrior class. A protector of the hive. It is usually bigger and tougher than drones, but this one was huge. I wonder what the host was," she continued, finally becoming satisfied with the number of trophies she'd collected.

"It is kinda big. I say about twelve, maybe even fifteen feet. The database didn't describe them as this big," Jasmine said. She knew something was off about it. Now she too wondered what had hosted it. Suddenly, she didn't want to think about that.

"Still thinking about the queen I see," Jasmine said, teasingly. Nanku caught the tease, and chuckled.

"It is as you have always said Jasmine. You must get big things or return to your dwelling," she said. Jasmine nearly fell backwards laughing.

"You mean, 'go big or go home'," Jasmine said, trying to get it together. It was always hilarious when they tried to pick up and repeat her slang. Nanku, stood, and checked her wrist gauntlet. Jasmine did the same.

"We didn't make too bad of time, but we didn't exactly spare a lot of time either. Do you seriously think we have time to search this cave system, find the queen, kill her, then make it back out in time not to have failed?" Jasmine asked. They had a few more hours still, but she didn't want to risk failure just for being too ambitious, nor would she follow the young female into death. After all, they could fight together, but chiva failure or success was judged individually, and failure was often, death.

She clicked her tusks in thought, while still checking her map. Then suddenly her eyes went wide. At the same time, Jasmine's wrist gauntlet vibrated and a map with red flashing lights appeared.

"We have to go, now!" Nanku yelled, hauling Jasmine up by the arm.

"What the hell is this?" She asked, as they began to run full tilt out of the egg chamber, and presumably out of the cave.

"Some pauk'de fool is setting off proximity bombs!" She screamed back, leaping over dead bodies gracefully, while Jasmine nearly slipped and fell a million times.

"Why would they do that? Don't they know there're other people in here?!" She asked, getting angry about it.

"They must be surrounded or they have failed to kill the queen, but that was no reason to endanger us all!" Nanku roared. They entered and exited the corridor, and then tried to check the map route as they ran.

The ground rumbled beneath and all around them, knocking Jasmine to her knees, while Nanku remained on her feet. At first it was only pebbles, but soon the stalactites began to crumble and fall, blocking the exit before they could clear it.

"Fuck!" Jasmine screamed as she watched the exit turn into a wall.

"We gotta go back the other way!" She screamed at Nanku, but the young predator was already on the move.

Running back the way they had come, they were relieved to find the opening in the ceiling unobstructed. Popping her cleats once again, Jasmine leaped to the rocky wall, thankful that there were foot and handholds pockmarking the surface. Nanku made it up first, then stopped to pull Jasmine the rest of the way. There was a crawl space large enough for them to get through without much trouble. Jasmine was shocked to see the space open upon the ruins of what was once a man-made, or in this case a yautja-made structure. It looked like an old control room, long since abandoned. The walls and floors were covered in hard meat nest, and there were a few more untouched eggs on the floor as well. They destroyed them as they passed from the old room through a rusted doorway.

"This way," Nanku pointed out, as she trotted into another long corridor, this one splitting off into three different directions. Jasmine and Nanku, double-checked the map, and both headed off towards the right. It was a little clearer this way, but the hall was long, and they could both hear the echo of screeching hard meats, and the sounds of fighting. The ground rumbled again, and more rocks fell in pebbly sheets, but so far, the old hall was holding up under the stress.

Seeing the way was at least somewhat clear, Jasmine began to pick up the pace until she was going at a dead run. Nanku followed suit, easily outpacing the human, and having to slow down so as not to get too far ahead. Jasmine was just now starting to feel the utter and complete fatigue setting in, despite the near constant dumps of adrenaline. Eventually, Nanku had to help her along, as she began to lag behind a little more.

They'd been in the long corridor for ten minutes, running, jogging, and in Jasmine's case a little power-walking, to get to the end. The violent rumbling of the mountainside structure, increased in its intensity, pushing them to keep going.

"We are almost out," Nanku stated as they rounded a corner only to see a small horde of hard meats barreling away from them towards the exit, in an effort to escape.

Nanku's combi-stick was out and ready, as she ran full speed behind the group of seven or so aliens. Jasmine fired up the plasma cannon again, taking out all those on her side of the corridor. They screeched in surprise, but it didn't last long, as Nanku took care of the final one.

"Come on!" Jasmine screamed, pushing herself harder as she could smell fresher air just ahead. They turned another corner, and there it was; the exit! They both ran out, and right into unfamiliar territory.

Nanku checked her map again, then growled in annoyed anger.

"Pauk! Took us too far out of the way!"

"Shit, it did. Listen, ain't shit we can do about it now, so we just gotta go. Shouldn't take us too long, and we're closer to your pod. Maybe a half hour to get there, then another hour or so to get back to mine. Let's get the fuck outta here!" Jasmine said, and began to jog down the gentle slope of the hill they'd exited upon.

[][][][][]

Without further incident, they both made it back to Nanku's pod. The young predator quickly began to pack all of her trophies, angry that she wasn't able to bring more to truly represent the amount of hard meats she'd killed. Jasmine looked around at the sky. It was getting towards evening, and the time was getting down to the wire.

"Will you make it back okay alone?" Nanku asked. Her face read concern for her clan sister's safety. Jasmine patted the hull of the pod and smiled. She'd removed her mask to get some fresh air.

"Yeah, I'm good. Just get going. I'll be right behind you," she said. Nodding once, Nanku closed the pod door, and fired the engine. Jasmine stood a good distance back as she watched the pod lift high into the air, then disappear altogether.

She was within a walking distance of the cave's entrance, and to where her first kills were stashed. It took her about twenty minutes or so to get there. When she arrived, she wasn't surprised to find the cave entrance completely blocked, and some of the columns standing in the foliage had crumbled. The large sculptures remained steadfast as if the ground beneath them hadn't moved at all. She searched around for her hiding spot, and finally she found it. Taking the time to remove each head, she found them to fit quite nicely in her bag, as she slung it over her shoulder.

It was a long trek back to her pod. Mainly because she kept having to take a rest. Various parts of her body were bleeding and injured, and the painkiller was starting to wear off. She'd been using her arm and shoulder because the pain had been numbed so effectively, but now she was getting stiffer and more sore. Standing at the foot of the cliff, it seemed less like a hill and more like Mt. Everest.

"Here goes nothin'," she muttered, and began the long climb upwards.

* * *

Kujhade's pride knew no bounds as he watched both his life mate, and his youngest clan member, defeat a praetorian. Jasmine had even had the ingenuity to create a way to spare herself from the harm of its caustic blood. He had a lot of things to think about, considering the task the matriarch had given him, but for now, Kujhade made his way from the closed room, out and down to the landing bay. He was greeted with cheers from his clan, as he stood to watch for their return personally.

* * *

Finally, she'd made it to the ship, after nearly an hour of slow climbing, resting, sliding down, and climbing again. She'd just gotten over the edge, and her blood ran hot rather than cold. Coiled upon the pod as if it had been waiting, was a small drone. When it saw her, it hissed and unwrapped itself from around the pod.

"Gotta be fucking kidding me," Jasmine said exasperated. Before she could do much else, it lunged at her, knocking her mask off her face, and plunging them both back over the edge.

* * *

Kujhade's clan went silent, as Jasmine's feed went dark. He watched in horror as a hard meat attacked her viciously, and then seemed to knock her off the cliff she'd just climbed. If there were any present which were happy over Jasmine's seeming demise, they knew better than to voice it. Above them all, some of the pods from the chiva began to appear in the sky as they descended upon the landing platform. Each clan eagerly awaited the return of their newly blooded, as the sky became littered with pods like shooting stars.

"Do not worry. Jasmine has proven her strength, and anything could have happened. You need not fear her death brother," Mar'cte said, laying what he hoped was a comforting hand on Kujhade's shoulder. Kujhade stood still as a statue, with his eyes fixed upon the sky.

* * *

The damn thing was spitting acid! Good thing she still had her shields. They had both been caught on a sturdy root, jutting out of the hillside. Jasmine was hanging on to its tail, dangling without much support. The hard meat had gotten some of its spines caught in the roots around it and could not properly move nor attack as it would have liked. Instead, it hissed and spit and twisted above her. Cutting her hands, she began to climb the tail like a living rope made of kitchen knives. She got up far enough that she could plant her feet, then unceremoniously stabbed it through the jawline and up through the brain with her wrist blades.

Jasmine rolled her eyes, and she used its dead body to boost herself the rest of the way. She dragged herself back over the edge and just lay there for a few minutes. Sighing loudly, she reached back down to get the tail as a trophy. She then recovered her mask and was disappointed to find that after all it had been through, this final attack had broken it. Wearily, she put away all the skulls and bones she'd collected, then clambered her way into the pod. All around her through the pod window, she could see others headed back to Yaut Prime. She hit the controls, performed a system check as she had been taught, and started her engine. Jasmine, was on her way home.

[][][][][]

She should have come back by now. On the far side of the landing bay, the festivities had already begun. The naming ceremony had taken place, where Dteinou herself had declared Nanku Bhu'ja her accepted clan name, with great flourish and pride. Kujhade had of course been in attendance to declare her clan mark acceptable, and to name off some of her more noteworthy accomplishments during the chiva. There was plenty of fanfare, some of the young bloods even breaking into war dances, and beating drums of triumph. The heavy beat of drums could still be heard behind him, as he stood alone at the other far end, awaiting Jasmine's return. The pups had played and played, until they lay asleep at his feet. Still Kujhade stood. He had not moved from his spot, as the sun was setting itself upon the horizon. He had been playing the recording of her song since he'd found himself standing alone. It may have truly been the last time he would hear her voice.

Dteinou, Mar'cte, and Lijia came close, wary of his mood now. He had not spoken after naming and congratulating Nanku, and he had also not moved, not even to take a seat. Lijia came quietly to scoop up the children, until his low warning growl stopped her.

"Jasmine will want to see her pups when she returns," he said simply. Lijia bowed low and backed away, casting a glance at Mar'cte.

"Brother, there are only two more hours left. If she is gone, it was not without a great honor," he said in a low, respectful tone. The ice in Kujhade's green eyes as he looked at his clan brother, made Mar'cte close his mandibles sharply. Kujhade had never cast such a look upon him in all the cycles they'd known each other.

"Leave me, brother," he said in such a low tone that Mar'cte could barely hear. Quietly, they all retreated, leaving their clan leader to his own thoughts.

[][][][][]

The last half hour. Kujhade's eyes had not left the heavens, but now maybe it was time for him to face the truth of the matter. Everyone who was going to return, had done so already. Those who had not? Well, the Black Hunter had welcomed them. With a heaviness in his heart that he had not felt since the day his bearer had left him alone in the terrifying woods, Kujhade finally gathered his pups in each arm. Sleepily, they protested before cuddling themselves close to his chest. With one last look, and seeing nothing, Kujhade turned to leave the platform. Far off, his clan awaited silently. When he came walking towards them, they all turned ready to follow wherever he decided to lead.

None of them saw the small object falling from the sky. None of them heard the soft landing, so far from the rest of the pods preceding it. No one saw the pod open, and the small, weary human, nearly fall out of it. Perhaps only due to the bond children have with their mothers, was the cause of the twins awaking suddenly in their sire's arms. Kujhade tried to settle them, but they would not be consoled as they whined at first, then went to an all-out cry, trying desperately to get down.

"Quiet now my pups," Kujhade rumbled softly, but they refused.

"Mama! Mamaaaa!" they cried in unison, and it nearly made Kujhade's knees buckle at the desperate plea for a bearer that they would never see again. They struggled so mightily, that he had to put them down. They immediately turned, racing as fast as they could back towards the landing bay.

When he turned to retrieve them, his mandibles fell in shock. Walking, stumbling towards him, with every ounce of her strength nearly spent, was Jasmine!

"Kujhade! Jhade!" She screamed with the last of what she had left. She fell to her knees, as her children ran to her, jumping and bowling her over.

She could not help the string of tears that poured from her, as she gripped them as tightly as she could, and sobbed.

It could not be, and yet it was. Jasmine. She was not dead, she had not failed. She had kept her vow. She had come back to him. She had come back to him! The roar he let loose, brought the drums to an abrupt halt and made his clan turn to him in a hurry. He took another deep breath, and let out another bone rattling roar. He beat his fist against his chest until it hurt, and he ran full sprint towards her.

"Jhade," she said weakly, a fresh bout of tears blurring her vision. She wiped them as fast as she could, wanting to see him clearly. As if on a cloud, he gently lifted her and the pups into his arms, holding her bridal-style. He rumbled to her in a way she had never heard before. Wiggling a hand free, she grazed bloodied fingers on his lower jaw. Mili and Yeyinde, wiggled down, and began to jump and run, ecstatic at their mother's return. His clan hung back, even though they were eager to hear her tale, and see that she was alright.

Kujhade's back was to his clan, as he simply stared at her face. The soft cast of the setting sun, set her face aglow, and made a crown of black fire around her head. She petted his face, not even wanting to blink. Very softly, and quietly, she began to sing again.

"Baby we, ain't got nothin without love," she said, and then could not continue. Emotions overwhelmed her and she could do nothing but cry silent tears.

Holding her so close, he nearly whispered it while staring deep into her eyes.

"Love, you. Kujhade, love his Jasmine," he rumbled in his best English. Shocked, Jasmine stared in disbelief.

"What did you say?" she said, barely mouthing the words.

"Love you, Jasmine. Have always loved you," he repeated, and held her even closer. She could feel the strong beat of his heart, and suddenly there were no more doubts, no more questions.

"I love you too," she said, and kissed him tenderly until the world faded away.

* * *

 **A/N: Sorry, I was late. I had to rewrite this several times, and I'm okay with it now. I hope I did this some justice, and that it was worth the wait. I could have said screw it and posted next week, but that's not my style. I just want you guys to enjoy a little something each week, like I've been doing. Special thanks to LovyDovy for checking up on me, and just being super supportive. Hope you enjoy especially :)**

 **Nanku Bhu'ja = Living Ghost**


	17. Escape From Alcatraz Part 1 and 2

"Hey. Hey, wake up,"

The words floated to him, becoming more solid through the darkness, until his consciousness came back. Marcus cracked his eyes open.

"Hey, man. Como estás?" Danny asked, smiling down at Marcus. Waking to full coherency, Marcus sat up. He was surprised to find he was a lot less sore than he had been the night before. He smiled at Danny, but warily, as if he thought the detective might vanish suddenly.

"What you doin' here?" He asked groggily. He tried looking out of the window, until he remembered there wasn't one.

"What time is it?" He asked, wiping his eyes, and trying to keep the hairs on the back of his neck from raising. There was something about the way Danny was looking at him. Sure, he had his usual smile, but something was off. The detective looked down at his watch. Marcus never recalled him wearing a watch before.

"It's 9 o'clock… pm," he said, then gave Marcus a smile which was too friendly. Sitting up fully with his wits collected in their entirety, Marcus simply looked a Danny with a blank stare. It was long enough to make Danny, fidget in his seat a little. Finally, Marcus spoke.

"Get me out of here," Marcus said quietly. Danny couldn't tell if her were pleading or commanding. Danny's smile faltered a bit before he put it back into place.

"As soon as you get better young man. This is a good hospital," he said. With a gesture that caught Danny completely of guard, Marcus slapped the empty food tray from the nightstand table. The rectangular plastic tray, clattered loudly across the hard linoleum floor, spilling the last bit of apple juice and uneaten peas on the floor as well.

"This ain't no fucking hospital!" Marcus screamed.

A few moments later, a nurse came running. She took a look at the food tray on the floor, then glowered at Marcus before silently walking back out.

"See what I mean? That ain't a regular nurse, and this not a hospital," Marcus said again angrily.

"Marcus calm down, okay? If this isn't a hospital then what else is it? Look, just rest okay. You been through a lot," Danny tried to say, giving Marcus' leg a gentle pat.

"You come to question me?" Marcus asked suddenly. Danny seemed confused.

"No, I just came to see you. What's your problem Marcus?" Danny asked again. He tried to smile again, but that only seemed to make the young man more upset.

"So, how you know where I was then?" He asked, giving the detective a suspicious once over.

"What do you mean? It was all over the news, and I'm a cop remember? Of course, I know where you are," Danny said.

"Yeah okay. All over the news, yet I haven't seen not one police or one news camera to ask me any questions. It was a fucking blood bath down there," he said, pausing as his voice wavered. The terrible memories playing in his mind's eye, and he could hear the hissing of those monsters even now. He got himself quickly together and continued.

"And no police come here to ask a survivor what the fuck happened? You on another level with this bullshit. You must think I'm dumb as shit. This is why I don't fuck with you no more, DETECTIVE. Since you such a cop, and my 'friend' so you say, get me the fuck out of here," Marcus said, breathing hard. His eyes were flashing in familiar anger. Something was very wrong, and although he couldn't pinpoint it, he knew Det. Jimenez had some part to play.

Danny sat staring at Marcus for a long few minutes. His face went from slightly bemused to hard and emotionless.

"You're absolutely right Marcus, this isn't a hospital," he said in a flat tone. It was as if to say, the jig is up, so now I might as well come clean.

"So then help me get out," Marcus said again. Inside, he was shaken and a sense of dread crept over him, coiling in his gut like a snake ready to strike. Danny sat back in his seat, and rested his palms on his thighs. He gave Marcus the most earnest look he could.

"That, I cannot do," he said, and watched as Marcus' face darkened.

"Get out," Marcus said, clenching his jaw, and grabbing the thin covers in both fists.

"Okay," Danny said and got up to go towards the door. Just before leaving, he turned to say one more thing.

"This is what happened to your sister," he said. Marcus sat straight up in his bed. If looks could kill, Danny would have expired on the spot. He didn't die, but he withered under the intensity of the glare, just a little.

"These people, the Weyland-Yuatani corporation, they are what happened to your sister. They took her, along with a lot of other homeless women. Junkies, whores, whatever. I don't know all the details, but I know that none of these women were ever seen again," he said. He watched the silent stream of angry tears roll down the young man's cheeks. They fell and glistened on his blanket covered lap, before disappearing into the fabric. His fists were balled, and the flare of his nostrils told the tale of his anger, but he was listening.

"They took them away, Marcus. I was paid to watch you, to keep you from getting too close to this, but you wouldn't let it go. You wouldn't let Jasmine go," Danny said.

Without any words or warning, Marcus tried to jump out of the bed. He fell to the cold, hard floor. The IV pole he was attached to, fell over with a loud crash, as the needle was ripped from his forearm. He tried so hard to get to the man who pretended to be his mentor and maybe even his friend. His leg was still weak, and he was unable to stand on his own power. Even so, Marcus began to crawl. It was like watching himself from above. He'd blacked out in a way. He was no longer in control of his actions or his thoughts. He was growling unintelligibly, spittle was flying from his mouth, as he tried to crawl his way to Danny. The detective stood his ground at first, simply watching. He didn't recognize this Marcus. The wild look in his eyes was almost feral. Danny pressed a small blue button nearest the doorway, and within seconds, two males who seemed to be orderlies, but were armed with tazers, came rushing in.

They grabbed Marcus up by both arms, and he immediately tried to kick either of them, but his struggles were weak. As if they'd done it a million times, one of them produced a small syringe, and plunged it into his shoulder. Marcus instantly became docile, hanging limply between the orderlies. The spittle which had been coming from him, turned into the drool of a person under heavy drugs. He was mumbling something which sounded suspiciously like _kill you_ under his breath, as they lay him back upon the bed. Leather straps were produced to keep him there, and a nurse entered in order to hook the IV up again. Marcus could only stare up at the lights, until his eyes drooped.

[][][][][]

Marcus' eyes snapped open of their own free will. Coherency was sudden and complete upon waking, and a frown settled on his young, handsome features.

"Ah, young Mr. Bledsoe, I see that you're awake," came that achingly calm voice. It was Mr. White. Marcus tried to turn his head towards the sound, but panicked when he realized he could not move at all.

"Ah, ah, ah young man. We'll be having none of that," Mr. White said again as he stood over Marcus' prone form.

"If you're good, I'll let you up, and show you around. So far, you've only seen your room. We've got a lot to show you," he said, smiling. It seemed to Marcus to be more like a sneer. Having seen enough horror films to know that he was up shit's creek, Marcus went still, but kept his eyes on the skeletal Mr. White.

Mollified at the young man's apparent obedience, Mr. White began to unstrap Marcus. When he got to the binding on his forehead, he felt Marcus tense. At the very same time, Marcus could feel the cold of a firearm at his temple.

"You will play nice, Mr. Bledsoe?" He was asked. He simply nodded once.

"Gooood," Mr. White said in a pleasant tone. "Let us dispense with this ugliness and unfriendly behavior, and get on with why you're really here."

With a gentle but firm push to the back, he urged Marcus to get to his feet. Unsure about the strength in his legs, Marcus had no choice but to stand. To his surprise, not only was he standing, but the sharp pain in his calf, was now at a more tolerable level. He had no time to really look over at himself, but he could feel that his midsection was no longer bleeding profusely. In fact, it felt _good._ He felt whole, instead of feeling like his torso was going to simply slide from the rest of his body at any time. For the first time in days, Marcus felt strength in his body. Teetering on the edge of death had been both frightening and comforting. Somewhere in the back of his mind, he wished they would let him die, but he kept waking up each day. Speaking of days, he had no idea how many he'd been in this place. The last thing he recalled, was Danny admitting to betraying him. Also, telling him about Jasmine. So, something had happened to her just as he always suspected, and now it all made sense. Danny always changed the subject, or discouraged his hope about his sister in one way or another. His fists clenched at the thought of the detective. His eyes followed movement to his side, as the tall and gaunt Mr. White moved gracefully across the room to the doorway.

"Follow me Mr. Bledsoe," he called over his shoulder. Having no other choice, Marcus followed.

They walked down the hall, passing rooms in what seemed to be a normal hospital floor, to a bay of elevators. They got in, and went down. Upon the doors opening, Marcus was hit with a flood of bright light that threatened a migraine later. He squinted his eyes until they adjusted, and then he stood and gawked. Before him was a large room filled with scientists. They were divided into small groups, each working at their own individual stations. They were in cubicles, but with partitions made of glass. It was huge. They worked and buzzed, and milled around, giving him nary a glance or any indication that they even noticed him or Mr. White. There had to be at least a hundred of them give or take. They were all dressed in white hazmat suits with a large yellow W, printed on the front.

Beckoning him, Mr. White continued to glide out of the elevator and through the sea of scientists. They were stationed on either side of a wide aisle. Peering in to see what he could, he noticed that some of them were poring over beakers and vials of one substance or another, but some of them were busy vivisecting some, _thing._ It was grotesque, but before Marcus could ask, they had turned a corner, and entered through a set of sliding security doors for which Mr. White apparently had clearance. They went through four sets of doors, Marcus was counting, and came to stand upon a metal grated balcony. Really a narrow walkway was more like it. Mr. White suddenly turned on his heels, blocking Marcus from coming all the way onto the walk, and also blocking his view beyond. He smiled. A shiver went squirreling down Marcus's spine at the sight. He tensed, not knowing what to expect and always expecting the worst.

"Tell me Mr. Bledsoe. Are you feeling stronger, more aware?" He asked out of the blue. Marcus knitted a suspicious brow.

"Yeah, I guess," he answered warily. Now, it was his guide's turn to knit a ghostly white brow.

"Come now, no guessing. Do you or do you not?" He chided, as he interlaced his long bony fingers waiting for a reply.

"Yeah, I feel strong. Strong enough kick your ass and get the fuck out of here," Marcus said with an even tone. Mr. White smiled brightly at that, but also there was a strange flicker in his eyes. One that said, _you can try it. I might even want you to try it. I'm being nice right now, but if you wish to see another side, I'd be obliged to show you._ Smartly, Marcus sealed his lips.

"I like to hear that. This means you were a good choice. In any case, Marcus… may I call you this?" Marcus nodded. The smile got even wider. "Gooood, good. Marcus it is henceforth. You have been here a total of four days. Your injuries were enough to kill you, so you are quite a fortunate young man, you see. You owe your strength to us, but more specifically, you owe it to him," Mr. White announced. He stepped aside and swept his arm out invitingly, as if asking if he could have this dance. Marcus sidestepped him as much as possible and peered over the banister.

The room wasn't very large. Much smaller than the room with all the lab geeks in it. It was something like an operating theater, and on the table below, was one of the most monstrous things Marcus had ever seen besides those bug monsters. It was one of those predator things, a yautja he thought they were called. Even from his vantage point above, he could tell this thing was huge. They had it strapped to the table from head-to-toe with some sort of steel cables. He was looking up directly into the overhead light, but the way he was moving his eyes, and his large strange tusks, indicated he might have been blind. Upon further inspection, Marcus noticed its eyes were milky, and that pretty much removed all doubt.

In the room below, were also two workers or scientists. They looked like surgeons. They were at either side of the room standing at tables of their own. The one to the left seemed to be organizing surgery tools. Terrifying blades, scalpels, and everything in between. The one to the right, stood before a table full of what looked like weapons, armor, and he saw a mask sitting there as well. Must've belonged to the predator on the table. Marcus looked back over the alien. It was in obvious pain, it had to be. There were a couple of IV drips hooked up to it. Its right leg had been flayed just under the knee, but the muscles didn't look cut out. He looked as if he'd been under the knife for quite a while, as fresh wounds oozed its green blood through roughly made stitches. Now that Marcus was looking over him, this alien was a mess. They'd butchered him like some sort of sick take on Frankenstein or something.

"You did something to me with this thing didn't you? What did you do, some kind gene splicing shit like in the movies?" Marcus asked. He looked over to see Mr. White staring at the alien below with open contempt. He licked his thin lips, then looked over at Marcus.

"Nothing that in depth, we didn't have the time yet. We only gave you a small amount of its blood. It was the IV drip you've had the whole time you've been here," Mr. White said, smiling again and showing his teeth briefly. There was something wrong with them, Marcus thought to himself. In the bright lights of the morbid operating theater, he could clearly see the issue. His teeth were silver instead of white. Marcus averted his eyes, but couldn't help a small sound of disgust at the back of his throat. If he noticed Marcus's disquiet, he made no mention of it.

"You are looking at one of the fountains of youth. I loathe it with all my being, but I cannot deny its power, nor its gift to us, and to you," he added, putting his hands behind his back. He wore a contemplative look.

"Are you gonna turn me into that?" Marcus asked, the thought seeming at once both far-fetched, and terrifyingly possible.

"Its lifeblood carries healing properties that we have found can be transferred to another animal, simply by transfusion. We assume, the host animal must be at least somewhat humanoid. Not only the healing, but some measure of its strength as well Mr. Bledsoe. In the coming days, you will find this to be utterly true," Mr. White continued, ignoring Marcus' earlier question.

"Why are you doing this to me? I didn't ask for this shit, and I need to leave," Marcus complained, knowing that simply requesting to leave would not result it in actually happening.

"You are one of our top candidates for our weaponization program. Your ability to survive the Xenomorph attack was exceptional, but it will take more than just wit and instincts to face that, and the like of them on a more regular basis," he said casually.

The implications immediately played through the young man's mind. They were intending on making him some sort of weapon, had in fact, already started the process. He gripped the banister tightly to avoid swaying on his feet. This had to be a nightmare.

"So, what you're telling me, is that you in here on some Stan Lee type shit? You gave me a fucking, super soldier serum?" Marcus asked incredulously. Mr. White outright laughed at that.

"Crude, but in a way not too far off the mark," he said, chuckling and giving Marcus a side glance.

"It's not anything so stupid as what one might find in one of those dreadful comic books. This isn't science fiction, Marcus. Aliens are real, and they are a threat, and there are more than one type on this planet. Mankind is inventive, we can be ruthless, we can be cunning, but physically we are no match. The Xenomorphs you encountered, are not sentient, but they reproduce at an alarming rate and are vicious beyond measure. This, yautja, even in the state he is in at this moment, if he were to be released, could reasonably destroy everyone here. He would certainly be capable of killing quite a few with his bare hands, in his weakened condition. To make him even more dangerous, he _is_ sentient, and fancies himself quite a bit smarter than any human," Mr. White said. He stood for just a moment longer, then turned to usher Marcus out of the door.

"Come, we aren't done yet. I have one last thing to show you, that I believe will be of great interest," he said cryptically.

Marcus left first, but not before casting a lingering look at the captured alien. It seemed to have inclined its head as much as possible towards the sound of their voices, the blind eyes searching all about.

"If he's as strong as you say, how the hell do you catch him?" Marcus asked, once they re-entered the brightly lit laboratory.

"I have my next guest to thank for that," Mr. White said enthusiastically. He once again took the lead, going back to the elevators, going up this time.

"A couple of years ago, we sent a few specialists out for an expedition. We knew that our dear predator was hunting, and we wished to make his acquaintance. We had intended to capture him at that time, but, well, he slaughtered all but two individuals. They were able to make it back, but our dear boy followed them across many miles. His hunting prowess would make the most seasoned tiger look like a spoiled housecat. However, it was his own bravado that captured him. He came to our seat of power, and the rest is history," he said.

The doors quietly whooshed open onto a more dimly lit corridor. They stepped out onto a plush, plum colored carpet. The floor looked like one of those really posh office buildings, with the wood oak doors, and fancy door handles. The lights were recessed into the ceiling, and the ambiance spoke of luxury and riches beyond anything Marcus had ever personally known. There was a hall that stretched out before them, and also one that intersected it, going either to the right or left of them as they stepped out of the elevator. There were only a few people milling around, and they were dressed in high-class business attire. Neither he, nor Mr. White were dressed appropriately for the place. He was still in hospital clothes and barefoot, and Mr. White was dressed like that preacher guy from the Poltergeist. Even so, they only received cursory glances from the men and women going about their day. Of the few people they encountered, all of them seemed to instinctively avoid Mr. White, giving him a wide berth whenever possible. He seemed not to notice, extending superficial courtesies where appropriate, although they were entirely disingenuous.

They'd gone to the left, walked through a lovely walnut colored double door, into yet another hall, then to the right. As they walked, the décor gradually went from swank office, to courthouse, then to outright labs again. They'd walked no less than twenty minutes, until Marcus began to wonder just how big this one level truly was. They wound around to the labs, which were also dimly lit. There were quite a few less scientists here, working on test animals and the like.

Once again, the two odd companions found themselves entering a small room like an interrogation room. Only, they were the ones behind what had to be a two-way mirror. In the room they were looking into, was a circle of small chambers, surrounded by an outer ring of larger chambers. It was very strange. Marcus had never seen a setup like this, and couldn't imagine what it was designed for. Mr. White leaned over and spoke into an intercom that Marcus hadn't noticed was there. A few minutes later, the door to the chamber room slid open, and armed guards filed in. They each had a person with them, who were also in hospital attire, and then seemed to be only vaguely aware of what was going on. There were no less than fifteen people, but two of them Marcus recognized right away. He leaned in, placing open palms on the glass as he tried to make sure of who these people were. One was the young man he'd fought alongside in the subway; Astro. The other was Mike, the guy Danny had introduced him to, ages ago it seemed.

"What are you gonna do to them, huh? What the fuck are you gonna do to them?!" Marcus asked, raising his voice and balling his fists. Since they had begun their little sightseeing tour, his strength had increased exponentially. He felt almost normal except for the dull, persistent ache in his calf muscle. He imagined that the muscle had maybe been damaged beyond complete repair, but he could walk. Push came to shove, he could run. He didn't like the idea of being experimented on without his knowledge or consent, but if he got to be fucking Captain America on the backend, then maybe it wasn't all bad.

"Settle down, before I do it for you," Mr. White said calmly. It was a cold, emotionless tone, which fell flat in the horrible acoustics of the room. Marcus' anger and frustration was not abated, but he also didn't feel confident to make a move in such a restricted space. So far, Mr. White had only been menacing, but Marcus felt he was capable of so much worse than intimidation. Making another smart choice, Marcus did not speak again, but he was seething, and it was obvious.

Marcus had never been afraid of anyone before. He'd loathed people, hated them, but never truly feared them. Mr. White was different. There was something not quite right about him. Something very off. He wasn't normal, and it was more than him being an obvious psycho. It was almost as if this were not the real Mr. White. That the real person lay just beneath the thin human-suit it was wearing. That thought, struck Marcus as the utter and irrefutable truth. Mr. White, and he doubted seriously that was a real name, was not entirely human. A day ago, this would have been laughable, but in light of recent revelation, it was not only plausible, but true and real. Mr. White may have once been a normal guy, but the person standing next to him now, was not human at all. The silvery teeth, which Marcus had hoped was a trick of the light, were eerily familiar, and it gave him goosebumps all over his arms and back. This was the first time Marcus had really thought about being scared of someone. He kept a wary eye on the wonderful Mr. White, and turned back to see what would unfold in the next room.

[][][][][]

Ever since last night, Michael Harrigan Jr., felt like he was in an ongoing nightmare. It had all come out of the blue. Just yesterday, he'd met back up with the beautiful Alexa Woods, and had lunch. They talked about everything, but mostly they discussed all this Weyland-Yutani bullshit, until he was just about sick in the stomach. They had come back to his place, where she'd eventually began to get around to Danny, and her distrust of his long time friend. That conversation was cut short by a phone call from Danny, asking if he could come over. Of course, he could come over. Then strangely, he'd asked Mike where Alexa was. He hesitated just slightly before answering truthfully. A half hour later, Danny showed up at his door with about five goons. Mike had put up a fight, and surprisingly so had Alexa. The goons, of the Weyland-Yutani variety, seemed especially pleased to see Alexa, and had in fact expressed that she was the prize here, and Mike was just tagging along. Always carrying a firearm on his person, Mike shot and killed one man, before being tackled, cuffed and then getting the shit kicked out of him. The physical beating he received, was nothing compared to the emotional boot to the nuts he felt upon noticing that Danny hadn't been followed, he'd brought them along. He could hear Alexa screaming and fighting, and then one last fist to the side of his head, quieted everything. The next thing he knew he was being dragged through the hall by an armed guard, and locked in a chamber no bigger than an old-timey phone booth. He'd been forced into a specific position, one that was entirely too vulnerable. His face and head had been pushed through a rubber-lined opening, and his chest was aligned with another cylindrical container. The clinical smelling air was steadily working to clear the drug-induced fog of his mind. He guessed that he'd been given some powerful sedative or opiate. He felt the chamber's door slide closed behind him. It pressed him helplessly against the glass, trapping his limbs. It was positively claustrophobic.

Across from him, was Alexa in the exact same circumstance he was in. Her head hung limply, and she didn't seem conscious. He was unable to get himself worked up due to the drugs, but he was still concerned over her lack of response to the situation.

"Lex. Alexa!" Mike tried to shout, but it only came out as a hoarse whisper. She moaned, but didn't lift her head.

As he looked around, he could see the other people were becoming more coherent, and more afraid. They were all in a circle, unable to move, but weirdly close enough together to make the setting uncomfortably intimate. He didn't know the people he was trapped in the room with except for Alexa. There was one young man, whom Mike recognized from the news. Something about a train derailing and a few people were killed. Mike had never been one to forget a face, although names escaped him once in a while. Just as he was about to call to Alexa again, the young man looked up. His eyes were bloodshot, and he looked like he'd been beaten up. Mike knew the feeling.

"Hey man. Where are we?" The young man asked. Mike wanted to shrug his shoulders, but couldn't.

"I, I don't know exactly. We're still with these fuckers, Weyland and the crew," he said. The young man's face hardened. Mike knew that feeling too.

"Alexa! Alexa, wake up!" Mike tried again, and this time, she moaned and lifted her head.

"Mike?" She asked groggily. Once she realized she was restricted in her movements, she woke fully and started to struggle against the chamber.

"Lex, I'm here," he replied, glad that she wasn't dead. She looked up at him, then around at all the strange faces.

"Mike, what's going on?" She asked, and as if to answer her, the circular space of floor in the middle of the concentric circle of chambers, opened.

Everyone scrunched their faces as a blast of freezing, foul smelling air assaulted them. Through the cold fog, a platform began to raise, and to everyone's horror, it was filled with large, strange eggs.

Alexa began to panic in earnest now. She knew exactly what they were, and what was going to happen next. The nightmare of that night in the pyramid flashed through her mind in angry snatches of memory. Sebastian, the serpents, the queen, all of it. All the things she'd been trying to fight, and simultaneously trying to forget, all came flooding back. She guessed it was true that your life flashed before your eyes when you died, or at least the most horrible parts.

"Mike, Mike, we're gonna die. These are, serpents, Xenomorphs, the eggs. Mike," she looked up at him with wide, wet brown eyes.

Mike couldn't tear his eyes away. These things were huge, and smelled awful. He'd been told certain things, had even seen a few, but not this close, and not this final. They were frozen nearly solid, but he could sense the life inside, begging to get out. He looked up at Lex, whose face was wet with tears. She shook her head, but neither could speak a word.

[][][][][]

"They are frozen, but they'll be warmed soon enough. When they are, you will witness one of the most fascinating, wonderful examples of the cycle of birth, death, and rebirth that mankind has ever had the pleasure… or terror of witnessing," Mr. White said, almost as if he were a proud father.

Marcus said nothing. He was watching everything, trying to make sense of it all. He had never seen a Xenomorph egg before, but felt confident that he was looking at one just the same. He couldn't for the life of him, understand why the people were needed, and he didn't want to find out. If he could help it, he wasn't going to let Mike die, or any of them for that matter. He heard Mr. White speak into the intercom again, and a few minutes later the door to the small room opened. Two doctors accompanied by an armed guard, and Danny, appeared. The detective had the nerve to look a bit shamefaced when he noticed Marcus was there. Mr. White smiled broadly.

"I was hoping you two would meet again. Officer Jimenez, please look at your handiwork," he offered. Danny took a look at the room. He was nonplussed until he laid eyes on Mike and Alexa. He turned sharply towards Mr. White who only continued to smile.

"You fucking putos! You told me you wouldn't kill them!" Danny accused.

"Come now, detective Jimenez. What did you think we wanted to do? Have a spot of tea and crumpets? You betrayed your friends, now you will see the fruit of your traitorous labor. Now watch," Mr. White said, gleefully.

No one said a word, as Danny kept his eyes glued to the window.

It was now or never. The door was still ajar, and Danny had his pistol on his hip like normal. Marcus was moving before he could think about how stupid his next moves were. Even Mr. White seemed to be caught mildly off guard, when Marcus suddenly rushed Danny, taking his 9mm in the process, and then barreling his way out of the door. He held the gun up, taking off the safety, and waited. He pointed it at everybody, daring them to move. The armed guard went for his weapon, but Mr. White motioned him to lower it.

"You are a wonderful specimen Marcus, our best yet!" He said. For the first time since he'd had the misfortune of meeting him, Marcus thought he heard a genuine emotion.

"This is what we are trying to accomplish here at Weyland-Yutani industries. All of those before you have failed in one way or another, but _you_. You are already acting on long buried instincts. I was wondering which part of our tour would cause you to act, and now we've found it," he said.

Danny moved forward, one hand out in a pleading manner, and walking very slowly towards Marcus.

"Where's Jasmine? Is she here?! Where is she?!" Marcus yelled.

"I don't know, Marcus, but put the gun down okay? You're upset, I understand…"

"You don't understand shit, and if you take another motherfucking step I'm gonna blow your damn head off!" he threatened Danny. This gave the detective pause. He knew Marcus wasn't bluffing.

"Where is Jasmine?!"

"I don't know"

Marcus shot the gun. This time he didn't even notice any kickback. He shot Danny in the chest, but knew he was wearing a vest. The officer staggered back, the breath knocked out of him, but otherwise not truly harmed.

"If you can't tell me where my sister is, then you ain't shit to me. You a muthafuckin' rat! A snitch ass bitch! You turned against your own friend?! You a bitch ass nigga son," Marcus said, backing away slowly. The clock was ticking loudly in his head. Each moment he stood here talking, was more of an opportunity to fail and be killed.

"Imma ask you one more time. Where. Is. Jasmine?"

"I said, I don't know, but we can find her. We can find her together and—"

Marcus let off three shots. Two hit Danny in the chest, knocking him back. The third hit one of the doctors, and he went down hard. Marcus figured he was dead. The guard raised his gun, but was again stopped by Mr. White. Just one more thing to do.

"Gimme your clip! Give it to me!" He screamed at Danny, who hastily complied by throwing it at his head. Marcus caught it, and held it in his hand. Faintly, he could hear hurried footsteps, and he knew it was for him. He let off a few more shots to cover his retreat and then ran like hell to the elevators.

He thought briefly about trying to find the room Mike and Astro were in, but decided against it. The door to that room was not obvious, and even if he could get in there, he had no idea how to get them out, or get rid of those eggs. However, there was one thing he did know. It was risky as fuck, but he had to try it. He got into the elevator, and went down.

[][][][][]

By the time the elevator doors opened, the lights were flashing but there was no sound. Marcus knew there was a silent alarm going, and the clock in his brain sped up at least three minutes. The scientists that hadn't bothered to pay him any attention before, were now huddled in their cubicles with their backs turned, and heads tucked. He was sure they knew where he was, was watching him, and he wondered if this wasn't all some sick test or trap. A trap was more likely. He got to the security doors, and mentally smacked himself. They were S-E-C-U-R-I-T-Y doors, and he didn't have any clearance at all. He looked around. Maybe one of these workers had one. Frantically, he started searching. The little cubicles had no doors, so he just went in and started looking.

He started snatching them up, and looking at their name tags.

"I know one of you muthafuckas in here, can get me through those doors! C'mon son, I ain't got all day. Imma start capping bitches in a minute!" He screamed, pointing his gun at everyone, as they cowered back even more. No one spoke up and he was hearing footsteps again. He didn't want to do this next thing, but he wasn't going to be caught. He looked for the one he thought looked like they were in charge. He was a short, balding man, who looked old but not feeble. Marcus cursed himself inside, but did it anyway. He really didn't want to hurt this man, but Marcus collared him anyway and put the gun to his head. A moment later, armed guards came rushing out of the elevator and the stairwells, guns drawn. Marcus panicked.

"I'll blow his damn brains out, son! I ain't playin! Somebody open this fucking door!" He screamed. Thankfully they hesitated, but he didn't know how long that would last. The man he was holding spoke up.

"Wait, wait, wait! I can open it for you, but you don't want to do that," he said, then felt the pistol press against his temple a little harder.

"Don't shoot! Just let me handle this," the man said to the guards, who didn't seem too be pleased to wait.

Marcus backed up towards the doors. Without letting the man go, he allowed him to put in his security code. Immediately, the doors opened. Quickly, Marcus pushed the man to the floor, and ran inside the room. The doors closed behind him and seemed to lock. Not good, but he didn't have time to worry about that. He peered down and saw the two surgeons hunched over the alien, closing his wounds it seemed. It wasn't even unconscious, but wasn't screaming either.

"Get the fuck off him, right now!" Marcus yelled down, pointing his gun. They looked up, surprised. They'd been so engrossed in what they were doing, they hadn't noticed the commotion. They each raised their hands in surrender, as Marcus came down the stairs along the wall.

"You need to leave, now. You don't know what you're doing," the male surgeon said. He didn't seem too perturbed by being held at gunpoint. The female hadn't said a word, but Marcus saw her preparing the blade she had in her hand. He pointed the gun at her.

"Let him up." He said. Both of them laughed.

"Are you crazy? He'll kill us all, and won't even think about it," the woman said.

Marcus didn't have time for this. No one had entered the room and it was likely because they thought he'd be killed for even coming in here. Maybe so, but he would rather take his chances with this thing. No one would be more motivated to leave than him, and if it all went according to his half-cocked plan, Marcus would leave right behind him.

"Just let him go!" Marcus screamed again. She acted as if she would. She moved away from the table, to a touchscreen on the wall. As she was doing this, the male doctor lunged at Marcus. Marcus was forced to shoot, getting off a few rounds, and watched as the man fell to his knees, his chest a bloody mess. Turning from him to the woman, Marcus saw that she had gone for a weapon herself, although he couldn't tell what it was. It looked like it belonged to the alien, but it didn't matter. He shot her too, and watched as she also fell into a heap.

With shaking hands, Marcus went over to the male doctor and grabbed the shoes from his feet. Luckily, the man had been wearing sneakers, and the size was a close enough match. He also took the man's pants which were nothing more than doctor's scrubs. Now, with shoes and pants, he didn't feel so naked and vulnerable. His mind was working a mile a minute. He glanced at the predator who was very awake and aware. It was snarling and trying to struggle against the restraints.

"I'm gonna get you out of here," Marcus said, as he moved to the touchscreen panel.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you young Mr. Bledsoe," the voice of Mr. White chimed in over an intercom system.

"Fuck you!" Marcus said, not looking up from the screen. It was currently set on the predator's vitals he supposed, but he didn't know how to use it to let the thing off the operating table.

"Very well. If you want to die this stupidly, I might be obliged to allow it. Have fun," the voice said, and then he heard a few clicks. He turned to see the steel cables release.

This was unexpected, but ultimately, it was what he wanted. Now he wondered just what kind of dumbass shit decision he'd made. Why come here to get this fucking seven or eight-foot-tall murder beast out of bondage? He had to act fast. It was blind and hurt, but that didn't mean it was harmless. Thinking fast, Marcus ran over to the table where the thing's armor and weapons were. He grabbed the mask, which was unexpectantly heavy, and a long spear-type thing. Marcus turned just in time to see it sit up, and tilt its head towards him. Its blind eyes searched, but it seemed to be inhaling through its mouth, and listening intently. Once it zeroed in on Marcus' position, it leaped from the table, wobbled slightly, righted itself, then growled loudly in his direction.

If Mr. White had been scary, this damn thing was ten times worse. It was pissed, that much went without saying. It stalked towards Marcus, obviously intending to take out its frustrations on the only other living thing in the room.

"Wait, wait, wait! I got your shit. I'm not here to hurt you!" Marcus said, thrusting out the items before him. The thing stalked a bit closer, and before Marcus could react, it had closed the distance with terrible speed. The predator grabbed Marcus by the throat, ready to rip it out, until Marcus thrust the mask at its hand.

It stopped. Still holding Marcus, it felt around the item. Seeming to recognize what it was, he snatched it out of the human's hands and placed it on its own face. It made a noise, something like a frustrated grumble, but didn't remove it. Thinking that this was progress, Marcus took a chance and handed him his weapon as well. It rumbled this time, and immediately took the combi-stick. However, he hadn't yet let Marcus go, and instead growled at him again. He tightened his grip.

"Please, don't," Marcus choked out. It grunted, then inclined its head towards the doors above. Perhaps, it felt there were bigger fish to fry, because it dropped the human to the floor, and seemed to start trying to search for its other things.

Quickly gathering himself, Marcus rushed over to the table and starting handing the alien his armor, piece-by-piece.

"Here, we gotta get out! Take this, and kill all these muthafucka's!" He shouted as the alien accepted his things. He moved forward and pushed Marcus out of the way. Able to feel his way around the table, he searched out and found his most fundamental piece of equipment; the wrist gauntlet. He slapped it on fast, and turned, fully armed and armored now.

Marcus smiled, and got to his feet. It turned to him again and snarled.

"Follow me," Marcus said, and then took the stairs two-by-two. The predator was right behind him. He was very hurt, and his leg was bleeding profusely, but he was on the move. When they got up to the walkway, Marcus could hear the guards clamoring on the other side of the doors. He banged against it to give the alien direction.

"Blast that shit son!" He said and stood back, not knowing what it would do to get out. The doors were heavy, and looked like they could withstand a beating.

The alien snarled, not liking the commanding tone of the human's voice, but ignoring it all the same. He could no longer see, not even with aid from the mask, but he knew the settings well enough. Just by feel, he aimed the shoulder rig at the door, and shot.

The impact knocked all the guards on their asses. The smoke it generated, clouded their vision, but they all heard the vicious snarls, growls, and clicks they knew so well. The predator could not use his vision to track, so set his plasma cannon to turret mode, so that it would target on its own. It came running out, shooting the cannon all the while, and Marcus was right behind it. The guards started falling like dominoes under the assault. Mr. White had been correct. This thing, even in its condition, was the most efficient killer Marcus had ever seen. Marcus strategically placed himself behind it, using the big alien like a shield. It was taking the bullets like a champ, plowing through it all, and slicing people in half when he wasn't blasting a hole through them. It was going crazy, and more than a few times Marcus had to make sure he wasn't in the line of fire.

Using the predator as cover and distraction, Marcus shot a few guards himself, and stole a few security cards. He hoped like hell that he could get through the doors with them. He wanted the predator to follow, but didn't want to get killed trying to communicate. He ran to the elevators, but decided not to risk it. Easily they could trap him there. Had to be a staircase around somewhere. Marcus ran down a random hall, having to shoot and take cover the whole way. The commotion behind him was like World War III, and surprisingly the alien seemed to be purposely going the same way Marcus was. He didn't know if he should be thankful or fearful, but just tried to keep alive during all this. Eventually, Marcus ran into the stairwell and found that one of the cards he'd grabbed opened the locked door. He was about to just run, but decided to test the waters a little. Was it following, or just fighting without giving a damn where it was?

"Hey! This way!" Marcus bellowed. Briefly, it did turn in his direction, then worked its way backwards, laying down its own cover fire.

(In the egg chamber)

Everyone was fully awake, and scared as hell. The eggs were thawing quickly, and the things inside began to move more vigorously. No one was talking, as there was nothing to say. No words could make this any better. Distantly, they could hear some noises, like something wasn't going right, but no one had come in to stop this process.

"No, no, oh god no," one woman whimpered as the egg before her began to open like the world's most hideous flower.

"Help me. Help me! Let me out!" She started screaming, and struggling the best she could.

Everyone could only watch in silent terror, as a spider-shaped alien scrambled out of the top. It wasted no time, leaping from the lip of the open egg, onto the woman's face. Her voice was muffled, and was muted instantly as it choked off her air supply. The gurgling sounds were horrid, but there was nothing anyone could do.

[][][][][]

It was still coming with him. Marcus didn't claim to understand why the large alien was still with him, but he was glad he was there. They ended up exiting on the floor with the egg chambers. Mr. White was waiting on them, smiling with his hands clasped behind his back, but there was something in his eyes. For the first time, Mr. White seemed perturbed, maybe even concerned.

"So, I see you were able to make nice with it. You'll regret this little stunt Mr. Bledsoe," he said, baring his strange silvery teeth. The way in which he did it, made all the pieces fall into place for Marcus. He'd seen those teeth before, on the alien bugs. He could barely wrap his mind around it. Was Mr. White mixed with one of those things, in the same way they'd mixed Marcus with a predator? Had to be the answer.

The predator's head snapped in the direction of Mr. White and roared, arching his back, and spreading his claws. It had more wounds than Marcus could count, but that didn't seem to have stopped it one bit. It didn't hesitate. It ran at Mr. White, who seemed to prepare for impact rather than run. The two clashed, the man looking much smaller than the alien attacking him. Nevertheless, Mr. White was holding his own. He began to punch the big predator in the ribs, which made it roar out in frustration and pain.

As the two tangled in the hall, Marcus reloaded the clip, and began to shoot at the few guards left. Apparently, Mr. White felt confident enough in his own abilities, that he didn't feel he needed much security with him. Marcus was starting to feel the fatigue of his old injuries, particularly his calf, but he was seeing with tremendous clarity. His hands, and breath were steady. His blood pressure was up, but not dangerously so. His body was supplying an obscene amount of adrenaline to his bloodstream, and that kept him going more than anything else. He took out the guards, marveling at how easy it was to become a killer when your own life was at stake. Dropping his empty gun, Marcus grabbed up one of the guard's weapons, and skirted around the predator, who just so happened to be serving Mr. White a series of vicious rights and lefts. Miraculously, he hadn't died yet from the blows.

Marcus could only allow himself to focus on one thing at a time. He hoped he wasn't too late. He went back to the interrogation room only to find Danny still there, nursing his bruises. He stood with his hands in the air as soon as Marcus appeared in the doorway.

"You ain't dead yet, huh? Well, then you can help me. Get me into that room," Marcus said. When Danny seemed to hesitate, Marcus shot a round at the two-way mirror, hoping it wasn't bulletproof. It wasn't. Two shots made it shatter. Marcus had closed the distance between he and Danny, and had grabbed the detective, and went through the space where the mirror had just been.

From his peripherals, Marcus spotted another guard and pointed the gun his way.

"Stop this damn thing! Stop it!" He yelled. The guard seemed to want to think about it.

"For god sakes man, just open it up!" Danny pleaded. The guard did as he was told. Every chamber opened except the one with the woman.

"Open hers too!" Marcus demanded, but the man shook his head.

"It won't open. She's already impregnated. She's as good as dead, and so is everybody in this room," he said.

Everyone who hadn't been facehugged, scrambled out of their confined space. Mike was one of the first, and before anything else could be said, he grabbed Danny by the collar of his shirt, and commenced to beating the living shit out of him. Astro, had come out ready to fight as well, knocking the guard out and then taking his gun. He shot the man in the head and chest, and then turned towards Marcus.

"I see they got you too," he said, grinning like a crazy man.

"Yeah, but we gettin' out today," Marcus said, strangely relieved to see the man he was coming to view as his friend.

Alexa ran over to Mike, but there was nothing she could do for this. Mike was all over Danny, the latter unable to contend with Mike's hand-to-hand.

"I trusted you! You fucking betrayed me! Why?!" Mike was saying. Danny's face was turning into a mess. He'd stopped fighting back, and was now just taking the punishment.

"I had to," he said weakly. Mike stopped, fist in midair, and breathing heavily.

"They are all over the police department. Bought me out a while ago. Told me, if I just cooperated with everything they asked, they wouldn't kill my mom, and they'd make me a detective. I, I had to Mike," Danny pleaded. Slowly, Mike put his fist down, and raised his one-time-friend to his feet.

"You didn't have to, you wanted to," Mike said calmly, and then slammed Danny into one of the chambers. He had to manually close it after forcing Danny's head into the opening.

"Nooo! Please Mike, not like this Mike!" Danny screamed, but it was too late. The egg opened, and the alien hatchling crawled out, ready to take its first victim. Mike refused to look away, until Danny stopped struggling and went unconscious.

"Now can we go?" Astro asked sarcastically. Marcus motioned for them to follow as he crawled back through into the interrogation room.

[][][][][]

The big yautja had Mr. White on the ropes. He was hitting him with everything he had, but the strange human had not succumbed to the beating. He was healing as fast as he was getting injured, and even though he couldn't see it, the predator knew something was wrong with this. He could smell human, but he could also smell the blood of a kiande amedha pouring off him. The feel was different, and he couldn't help but wonder if these stupid oomans had done some crazy experiment. He could feel his strength waning, and so decided that he had better end this soon.

Mr. White was doing a decent job of dodging most of the hits that came his way, using the yautja's blindness against him. It was working, but he hadn't been prepared for this contingency, so therefore was not properly armed for this. He'd been hitting at all the weak spots, places where he'd been operated on, but that only seemed to fuel the anger. He got behind him, trying to stick and move out of the way, but was caught anyway. The large predator slammed him face-first against the reinforced concrete wall repeatedly. He was about to turn around, but then he felt incredible pressure in his lower back.

The predator grinned behind his mask. There was nothing left to lose. This was his final hunt. He'd been caught, he'd been stripped of his weapons, armor, and honor. The worst part of his captivity, was the thought that he might not ever hunt again, and that he would die a dishonored failure. This had rejuvenated him greatly. He recognized the voice of this one. He taunted him day and night, and had on more than one occasion suggested harsher, crueler treatment. He would now enjoy this kill. With his talons as sharp as they had ever been, the hunter dug into the ooman's back, searching for his spine. He grabbed hold, and yanked.

Mr. White hissed and howled in agony, as he felt his spine be pulled from his back. All the strength had been sapped from him, as more and more of his spine was being pulled. With two more heaves, the hunter had ripped the spine and skull intact from the ooman's now lifeless body. Marcus, Mike, Astro, Alexa, and the rest came around the corner just in time to see it happen. The predator roared to the top of its lungs, hoisting the bloody spine over its head, and shaking its dreads in triumph.

"I think we need to get the fuck outta here," Alexa said quietly. At the sound of her voice, the predator stopped roaring, and inclined its head. Alexa swallowed thickly. She hadn't made a connection with this one, like she had with the one at the pyramid. She looked towards Marcus, who was already moving slowly towards the alien.

"Hey, we can get out, we can leave," he spoke quietly, but the alien seemed not to be concerned over anything being said to him right now.

"Z'skvy-de" he growled out, and then bounded back the way the humans had just come.

Mike and Alexa armed themselves in preparation to get out finally. They looked to Marcus to lead the way, believing he knew the way out. Behind them, they could hear the alien hunter discharging his weapon, roaring and fighting. From around the corner, a troop of soldiers came running, but not for the humans. They raced to the predator. A voice overhead, warned of him being loose and gave his whereabouts. The sounds of vicious fighting continued, as the small group of people made their way to the stairwell and started going up.

From below came rumbling, as if the whole structure was crumbling beneath them.

"Go, go, go!" Mike urged, and up they went in the never-ending staircase.

A SELF-DESTRUCT DEVICE HAS BEEN INITIATED. ALL PERSONNEL MUST EVACUATE. REPEAT. A SELF-DESTRUCT DEVICE HAS BEEN INITIATED. ALL PERSONNEL MUST EVACUATE

Alexa's eyes widened, as she hurried the group even more. She recalled the pyramid, Scar's bomb, and the story Sebastian had relayed to her. She knew that predator had set off his bomb, and the thought strangely saddened her. He had no intention of making it out alive, and had maybe inadvertently provided means for their escape. Unintentional or not, Alexa was thankful anyway.

* * *

 **A/N: Hey guys! First, let me apologize for not uploading anything last week. I was going crazy about this story, and stressing over it. I had to take a step back from it. The result was this monster chapter. Why was it so long? Well, I didn't want to drag it for two weeks basically. It is one cohesive scene, and I wanted it over with. I hope it was enjoyable, despite its length. I know there are likely some mistakes in it, but I've gone over it, and rewritten it enough, and I couldn't keep doing that. Please forgive any typos. Thanks for reading, and let me know your thoughts on this chapter. Do we like the daring escape, and did we see Danny's betrayal coming?**

 **Translation:**

 **Z'skvy'de = chest burster**


	18. Full Circle

Jasmine sat on the edge of her seat, watching the feed that Kujhade was showing her. She couldn't take her eyes off it. In the video, which Kujhade said the Matriarch had received while she was on her chiva, was a large hunter. He was in a strange looking room, full of chambers and worst of all, eggs. The view kept moving around, as if he didn't know where to look even though the targets were right in front of him. Kujhade, the Matriarch, and Dteinou hadn't been able to make sense of the hunter's seemingly erratic head movement, and why he couldn't keep focus. At first, Jasmine couldn't figure it out either, but this was the second time she'd watched, and it struck her what the issue was.

"Jhade," she called to him. He came walking up behind her. They were in the Matriarch's quarters, making plans as a result of this information.

"Yes, my mate," he replied.

"He's blind," she said, then looked up to see his reaction. He knitted a thorny brow.

"What has made you believe this?" He asked, trying to figure out what she'd seen that he had missed.

"The way he's looking around. It's like he's turning towards things as they make noise, but if it's quiet, he starts looking everywhere. Particularly, he's looking up, and this is somewhat common among blind humans. They look _towards_ things, but it's always indirect. Obviously, they can't focus visually, and sometimes will even turn their ear to a sound rather than try to see what they can't see anyway," she commented. He nodded, realizing now that it must be true. It explained quite a bit.

"If he is blind, then his victory is even more impressive," Kujhade said, his voice taking a solemn tone.

They watched, as the hunter was backed into a corner by people with guns. He blasted them, killing many and keeping the others at bay. He must have heard the hatchlings coming out of the eggs. The people started shooting at the chambers instead of the hunter, and seeming to understand what was happening, the hunter shot the chambers too. He ended up blowing a hole at the spot, and moved towards it. The men resumed shooting at him. He returned fire, but seemed more interested in the hole in the floor he'd made. Jasmine didn't know if he meant to do it or not, but he jumped or fell into it. He fell a long time down a chute of some sort, and ended up in what was unmistakably a hard meat nest. Rows and rows of eggs seemed very neatly placed, and from what Jasmine could make out, they were being monitored. The hunter said something she couldn't understand, and then started blasting everything. In a panic the eggs began to hatch. Several times, a face hugger jumped on the hunter's mask, only to be snatched off and crushed in his hand. He turned towards a doorway, and in rushed so many armed guards, Jasmine couldn't count them all. He must have understood his odds, because he immediately began the countdown on his wrist gauntlet. He began shooting again, and charged towards the group of men with his combi-stick, taking out as many as possible, before the screen flashed red, and then went black.

Jasmine sat back, with a heavy sigh. She was most sympathetic to the hunter, and felt nothing but contempt for the humans he was killing. The vision of the nest, really sealed the deal for her. The large yellow "W" was evident everywhere, and she felt a cold sort of hatred form in her heart. These Weyland-Yutani people were beyond arrogant, and extremely stupid. Who in their right minds, would purposely have a bunch of hard meats all around? Not to mention, that to have those many eggs, they undoubtedly had a queen or maybe even two, stashed somewhere. Only monsters would do such a thing, no doubt for money and some sort of power. All she could think of, was if any of those black bastards got loose, it could be the beginning of the end.

She looked over at Kujhade, who was watching her curiously.

"We have to get there as soon as possible Kujhade. I don't know a whole lot about this company, but I know they kidnapped us. I know they sent some kind of monster with us, and now I can see they are keeping or growing these damn beasts. They don't know what they're getting into, and if they do, then that makes them even worse than I could have imagined," she told. He nodded, as if he were hoping she'd say that.

"When we go, I will kill humans. You told me you would not. How will you help?" He asked. Both the Matriarch and Dteinou waited on her answer as well.

Before answering, Jasmine rewound the feed to a certain point. The hunter was moving his head all around, but Jasmine wouldn't have missed it. The feed began right when he was ripping the spine out of somebody. He turned his head, and there she saw it. Marcus. There was her brother, alive, but in the clutches of the people who'd grabbed her a little over two years ago. She could only imagine how he'd ended up there, and it stoked an anger than ran deep. With a shaky finger, she pointed at her brother, as big as life, on the screen.

"I will kill any man, woman, or child, who would ever dare to harm a hair on his head. Kujhade, that is my brother Marcus, and they have him," she said, her voice wavering with a mix of anger and hurt. The rapid click of tusks, let her know that this news surprised the room. Kujhade seemed to consider this, clicking to himself as he turned towards the Matriarch.

"I had thought to send you alone for this job, but considering it again, perhaps it is better if you take your entire clan," Dhi'routa stated. "You will be given three days to prepare. I will need you to leave as quickly as possible. You are tasked not only with clearing any hard meat infestation you find, but also destroy that clan of oomans. They are dangerous if they have the capability not only to harness kiande amedha, but capturing a hunter. Destroy all databases and any other information, as we cannot be sure what they have stolen from that hunter. Leave none alive," she stated, letting the seriousness of her tone hand in the air of the room. She then continued, "Your vessel is capable of interstellar travel, but not at the speeds that will be required. I will enlist the help of a larger clan for you," she continued.

"Thwei," Jasmine said, then looked to see Kujhade's reaction. He creased a thorny brow at the mention of the elder's name.

"Get over it Jhade. He already likes us, and I think he'll do it," Jasmine said again, getting up and standing in front of him.

"He likes _you._ He has no caring for me, other than to remove me from his path," Kujhade said stubbornly.

"Whatever. Since it's like that, I'll do the asking," she said, knowing it would get under his skin. Predictably, he growled.

"I will not have my mate, begging about for assistance for this clan. I will handle the arrangements, you gather the pups, and send T'chnde to check up on your… specialized equipment," he commanded. He then turned to the Matriarch to silently take her leave. When she nodded her consent, Kujhade and Jasmine left her domain.

* * *

It had only been two days after the chiva, and all of Jasmine's injuries had been seen to, and many were healing nicely. He had spent the entire time in the sick bay, threatening the medics there, that if she succumbed to any injury, they would not live to explain the reasons why. The medic team worked quickly and efficiently, despite not wanting to tend a human, least of all one that belonged to Kujhade. Luckily, the wounds were messier than they were life-threatening. She sported an abundance of healing scars, that he could scarcely take his eyes off of, as they walked side-by-side through the dense crowd.

The chiva and the mating season were now over, so there was a mass exodus from Yaut Prime. Every clan had their assigned hunting quarters, or had been sent on other various tasks and missions. Other older, larger clans had their own agendas to keep, and came and went according to them. On the short walk from the Matriarch's domain, Jasmine had convinced him to retrieve her equipment herself. He kept sneaking glances at her. The cleavage was calling his name, as well as the crosshatch of scars, the one that wound around her midriff like a woven chain. Kujhade couldn't resist. He snaked an arm out, and as they walked, he traced a talon along the small of her back. She jumped a little, then settled into his touch. Ever since his proclamation of love to her on the landing bay, he'd been given over to surreptitious touches whenever possible. This was a new wrinkle in their ever-growing relationship, one that she'd quickly come to desire more of.

"Now that you are healed, there is much we need to discuss," he leaned down to say. He was so close, his tusks were tapping her ear. Something about that, and the rumble of his voice, sent a shiver down her spine. Her lips curled in a sensuous grin.

"Why do I think by 'discussion', you mean we've got a lot of sex to make up for?" Jasmine purred at him under her breath. He rumbled again, this time tracing his claw a little harder over her skin. He didn't draw blood, but the scar was newly formed and healed, and was still tender to the touch.

"It has been too long since I have had you. I meant to take you as soon as you landed, but did not want to risk further injury," he said, still bending low enough to sort of whisper in her ear.

A tingle shimmied down her back again. She could have sworn this was his version of foreplay. There was simply no way he didn't know the effect he was having on her right now. She grinned again, ready to play this game with him. Jasmine stopped and bent down at the waist, pretending to adjust her boot straps. Her loincloth did little for her modesty, as it showed off her well-rounded derriere. This movement made his hand slip to her butt, and he promptly grabbed a large handful, rumbling loud enough now, that those closest to the couple could hear him clearly. Loving this public and not-so-discreet attention, Jasmine wiggled just slightly, still pretending to set her shoes aright. He was attuned to her seemingly on every level now. Understanding intuitively what she wanted him to do, he moved slightly behind her, and slid a talon across her sex lightly. It elicited a sharp inhale from Jasmine, but another wiggle nevertheless. What was she doing to him? Didn't she understand that his willpower was hanging now by a thread only? A weak thread at that? He strained against his codpiece, finally dragging his now wet fingers from her, and pulling her up by her waist. She turned and smiled up at him deviously, biting her bottom lip. She watched intently as he wiped his hand across his chest and stomach; wearing her like the latest cologne.

Jasmine was in the same boat as her husband. It had taken a lot of willpower, showers, and working her own finger magic, to hold out in an effort to save her relationship. Now that all that ugliness was over, she was hotter than she'd ever recalled being. His every touch, even mundane movements of his body, the soft chimes of the trinkets in his hair, the largeness of his hands, everything threatened to send her into a sexual frenzy. This little stunt just now, while fun, threatened to derail the simple task of getting her armor from the blacksmith. The consistent rumble now emanating from him, told her he was thinking the same things. He could barely keep his hands off her now. At first, it was about tending her wounds, but it hadn't stopped even after she'd proved that she was well enough to go about normal business. She didn't fight it. Even though she knew most of it was driven by sexual frustration, not all the touches were meant to get that reaction. He couldn't grasp the concept of hugs (he told her it was grappling, and even though she hugged him on many occasion, he always had to remind himself that she was not fighting), but he would touch her shoulder, allow his fingers to linger on her own when he had cause to touch her hands. Little things like that had added to Jasmine's further security in the relationship. It was a big step for him. He was not accustomed even to these little things as a form of affection, but he was making a conscious effort, and she loved him all the more for it.

By the time they reached the blacksmith, she was smiling like a cat who'd finally gotten the cream, and Kujhade was purring contentedly as well. The smithy turned and eyed them suspiciously before stepping to the counter.

"Arbitrator," he said, giving a stiff, curt bow of the head. His eyes slid over to Jasmine. He hesitated as if wondering whether she was worth speaking to or not. Finally, he must have decided to address her since he'd spent the last five seconds eyeballing her.

"Sain'ja" he said, calling her by a generic term meaning 'blooded'. She gave a curt nod of acknowledgment. That seemed to become her default name, since she had forgone the naming ceremony. Jasmine was her name, and she did not wish to change it, although they were not content with speaking a name to her which for them held no meaning. So, Sain'ja it quickly became, and Jasmine chose not to fight that uphill battle. It wasn't disrespectful, so let them call her what they wanted. It didn't sound too bad and she could say it easily, so no harm no foul.

The smithy turned to retrieve the armor he'd been ordered to rework. When Kujhade saw it, his jaws spread in a slight grin. Despite not wanting to make anything for a human, the smithy couldn't help but be proud of the work himself. He placed it upon the counter reverently. He'd created a mask, shoulder guards, forearm bracers, and shin guards, all made of the carapaces of hard meats. The smooth black surface glistened in the bright sunlight. Jasmine had designed it, giving Kujhade her best description of what she had in her mind, while she was in the sick bay. He'd gotten it perfect. The mask was really a half-helm, as she did not want to completely loose the terrifying aspect of the sloping head leading into the maw. The back covered her head all the way to just above the occiput of her skull. The front, was one smooth plate including the mouth. She had specifically requested that the mask retain as much of the hard meat countenance as possible, but the smithy had gone well beyond that. He had retained the entire front of the head, while placing the standard technology inside which allowed it to function as a normal mask.

"This is, stunning work," Jasmine said in awe. She reverently picked up the mask, almost afraid to ruin it in some way.

"This is masterful Hul'tah. Truly there is no better metalworker among any clan," Kujhade complimented. The blacksmith beamed in spite of himself. Indeed, these were some of his best pieces in quite some time.

"I also have the special piece you requested," he said, the pride in his voice unmistakable. Jasmine cut her eyes to Kujhade, and narrowed them.

"What is he talking about?" She inquired, but he didn't give anything away.

"I must say, it is strange to utilize the trophies in this way, rather than simply display them. But, I supposed one may do what one wishes after earning the kill," the smithy stated.

Jasmine couldn't believe her eyes. They nearly fell out of her head at the sight. It was her bow. Somehow, it had been recast, remade with the tail of a hard meat. The bow itself had been fashioned in the exact shape of the recurve. The top curved into the dagger-like tail end. All along the bow, the sharp spines which characterized the tail, jutted out in two directions; facing her and facing outwards. In the middle where her handhold was, was a divot large enough to fit her hand while she had her bracer on. The bowstring had been made of a different version of the tensile cable they all carried as standard weaponry. It looked as if it would never break or need to be replaced. To her endless surprise, he handed over an enormous quiver of black arrows, which had also been fashioned of its bones, and fletched with a material she couldn't discern.

"Are you pleased?" Kujhade asked, watching her smile brightly. She nodded enthusiastically.

"Thank you Jhade," she cooed. She then stepped close to his chest and caressed it. She stood on her tiptoes, and spoke in a low, sultry voice.

"I've got so many ways I need to thank you for this. I'm going to thank you from the top of your head, down your tendrils, mmm, and I'm gonna lick your chest, until I get all the way down to you hard, throbbing,"

"Silence, female! My restraint hangs by a thread! I have a mind to make you fulfill these promises here for all to see," Kujhade rumbled, as he took an arm and pressed her hard against himself.

Jasmine smirked, and giggled a little, but licked her lips seductively. Kujhade purred at her, even though the blacksmith seemed just about to dry heave at the sight.

"If there were not so many things to arrange, I would drag you to the ship and mate you now. You are lucky, but nightfall will be a different tale. I will remember all that you have said," he told her, his green eyes ablaze with lust.

"I just bet you will," she answered, reaching up to run a finger under his lower jaw.

"Why don't you take these back to the armory, and I'll go check on Mar'cte and the babies? I'll be back and ready to roll in a little bit, okay?" Jasmine said, turning on her heels and sauntering off before he could reply.

"And what might you be looking at Hul'tah?" Kujhade asked, turning to see the blacksmith, watching Jasmine's retreat with a little more interest than usual. He chuffed angrily, then turned around to get back to other work. Kujhade shook his head, and turned to go about his own business.

[][][][][]

Yeyinde glanced over to his right. From behind a large wall stand holding various weapons, he spotted his brother Mili. He let off a very light trill, then crept forward on all fours. There was no way his uncle would know what was about to happen. Uncle Mar'cte had turned his back searching for them. They had been in his face just moments ago, and now he couldn't find them. Stupid. Mili watched as uncle Mar'cte searched for them, but not even bothering to turn around. Maybe it was because there was so much noise in this place, full of so many uncles, but that wouldn't matter in a minute. Keeping behind his uncle, Yeyinde rose from all fours and simply crouched. He tried hard to keep from clattering his tusks in anticipation, and gripped his little knife (stick) in hand instead. Meanwhile, Mili was about ready to make his own move. They'd done this a few times against what their sire had called urja, and it worked always. Without making a sound, Mili shot out from behind the weapon stand, and roared as loudly as possible. He took a leap just as uncle Mar'cte turned to catch him in midair. Yes! It was working! His mei'hswei was attacking with his own knife (another stick) just like with the urja! Yeyinde wasted no time. Silently, he also leaped upon his quarry's back, and began a fearsome attack. Any time now, he would go down, but he did something very unexpected. Uncle Mar'cte turned around, and did the worst thing to him that Yeyinde could think of. He tickled him! Right in the middle of the attack! He couldn't laugh. He was mad, wanted to be mad, but it was just too much. Mar'cte had them both in his arms, had "thrown" them to the floor, and was now tickling each without mercy.

A chortling laugh could be heard from the nearest wall, as T'chnde watched the entire scene.

"They're getting better with stealth. Soon, they might actually catch you unaware brother," he chuckled as he watched the playful melee. Mar'cte finally surrendered and lay on his back as the twins jumped him again, flailing away with their makeshift weapons.

"Did you know they have each made five kills? Of course, the prey was harmless, just urja, but still," Mar'cte answered. T'chnde's eyes widened in surprise.

"So, those are not simply skulls given to them by their sire?" He asked in reference to the small skull necklaces they wore. Mar'cte shook his head, as he stood up. The twins ran to continue fighting with each other. He grinned when he saw Jasmine walk up behind T'chnde.

"Hey, what's up?" She asked them both. They greeted her with soft trills as she came all the way into the kehrite area.

"It has been long since I've really seen you clan sister. How are you and our clan leader?" T'chnde asked. Jasmine smiled again.

"We're better, much better. Thanks for asking. How are you and Dteinou? Last time I saw you, you were being led to a wild night of mating at the ritual," she teased. He clicked his tusks, and poked out his chest.

"You do not know Dteinou. She mates like she hunts, without mercy," he answered. Mar'cte laughed outright, and so did Jasmine. Straightening herself up, she tried to take a more serious tone.

"Alright, so I know you guys might've heard some rumors or something, but we have to go soon. Something came up, and Kujhade has to go to Earth," she said. All laughing immediately ceased as both hunters were eager to hear more about this.

"What is happening that we need to go there? I didn't think we would visit your home planet for quite some time," Mar'cte said.

"Why not?" She was curious to hear this reasoning.

"Kujhade voiced a concern just a short time after we left our former clan. He said he would not ever take you near Earth, for fear that you would want to leave and go back to your home," he said non-chalantly.

"Huh, is that a fact?" She asked, clucking her tongue in thought. She might have guessed Kujhade would confide in Mar'cte if no one else.

"In any case, there's a bunch of those hard meat fuckers, running around fucking shit up. We gotta clean it. I'm gonna let Kujhade fill you all in on the details, but that's pretty much what's happening. We have to leave soon, like within the next couple of days, maybe less," she reported. She watched as they both got very excited.

"This sounds like a hunt to top all others, sister. We will be ready by nightfall. Is he taking all the clan members? There are now many if we include the young bloods, although it seems they would be ill-prepared for such a specialized hunt," Mar'cte said thoughtfully. Jasmine shrugged.

"I guess he'll have it all worked out when he makes the announcement," she said.

"Yeyinde! Mili! C'mon babies. Say bye to uncle Mar'cte and uncle T'chnde," she called after them.

They came running, taking leave of their 'uncles', by hitting them as they ran past.

"I'll meet you guys at the ship," Jasmine said as she turned away. She had a lot to do if they were packing up and heading home.

[][][][][]

It felt funny to be back on the ship again. All in all, the Matriarch had been too forgiving by granting so many days for departure. It should have been guessed that the hunters were more than ready to do what they did best.

Kujhade had ended up approaching Elder Thwei, who had been more than willing to take them more than half the way in his much larger, and much faster clan ship.

Ultimately, of the original fifteen or so young bloods from the first clan, Kujhade had only selected two to come with. The rest of them were on the ship, but had been tasked to participate in hunts with Thwei's clan. Aside from them, were Jasmine, Mar'cte, T'chnde, Lijia, Kujhade himself, and of course the babies. Dteinou remained near the Matriarch, as she had not and could not have officially joined the clan. Nanku would not be denied as she had never visited earth and looked forward to hunting in unfamiliar territory. Dteinou had argued to keep the young female on Yaut prime, and taking her out for hunts closer to home, but relented once it became clear that Nanku wasn't going to cooperate.

Jasmine found herself within her clan's personal ship which was docked upon the larger vessel. Thwei's ship was huge, easily the size of an American major city, and just as populated. They had been welcomed onboard, and a feast had been laid out. Thwei took care to have Kujhade seated near him as a guest of honor denoting his rank, and also took care to have Jasmine seated on the other side of him. Kujhade hadn't particularly cared for the seating arrangements, as it gave Elder Thwei an unobstructed view of her, to which he took full advantage. He'd stopped well short of disrespect, but the elder didn't fail to find reason to address Jasmine directly. He questioned her about her home world, and whether or not she would opt to stay. Kujhade had been relieved to hear that she'd had no intention of abandoning her clan so that she could return to her human life. Thwei had contemplated that answer for a long time, his mind turning towards the female from the chiva. He wondered if there might be a chance he could locate her, but then shook the thought from his head, or tried to at least.

After all the fanfare and festivities were over, Jasmine put the twins to bed, and had found herself now in the trophy room. Kujhade had set aside a spot for her growing collection, commenting that she'd soon need a room of her own. She still had a few hard meat skulls intact, and was almost done cleaning and polishing them as she'd been taught. Kujhade was not yet on the ship as he and Mar'cte stayed behind in order to bring Elder Thwei up to full speed about what was really happening.

She was seated at the table, completing the first of two skulls. It was just starting to gleam when the door slid open, and Kujhade's shadow fell against the far wall. She looked up at him and smiled. He seemed exhausted, but more relaxed than he had been in weeks.

"Is everything alright?" She asked. He nodded and came to sit next to her, towering over her even when seated.

"I see you are doing well with polishing. You could use a little bit more cleaning in the small areas," he commented. He then got up and stood behind her. He leaned over her, and gently took the tools from her hands, starting to clean out the leftover bits from the smallest of the skull's crevices.

His warmth surrounded her in a way that it hadn't in what felt like forever. She watched attentively as his large hands moved fluidly and gracefully along the skull. She had to admit, it did look cleaner. Jasmine leaned back into his chest, loving the low rumble she felt before she even heard it. She craned her neck up, to give him a playful nip on his lower jaw.

"You know, I just remembered something Jhade," she said. He chuffed, as if to tell her to continue.

"I seem to remember making a little wager, that if I could successfully complete a hunt, and then clean the trophies, that a certain yautja hunter would be my sex slave for a week. Do you recall any of that?" She asked innocently. The rumble stopped short, as he looked down at her.

"Your memory is getting about a good as a yautja female, and they do not forget much. Sei-i, Jasmine. I remember very well," he said, the rumble in his chest starting up once again.

"For now, just keep cleaning the trophy," she said leaning back into his body while he worked. It was over in just a couple of minutes, and although she wasn't doing anything more than grazing her fingers up and down his taut arms, they were delicious minutes.

Jasmine reveled in him, familiarizing herself with his scales and scars all over again. She leaned over and began giving little chaste kisses on his inner bicep, down to the hollow of his elbow. Wanting to feel more of him, she turned in her seat so that she was facing him. Jasmine began to land these kisses all over his chest. Her practiced fingers now able to remove his armor without hassle.

"I missed you. I missed us," she murmured as she continued to land kisses, that were slowly turning into licks and nips. She ran a long nail over an old gash across his chest and abdomen, which elicited a powerful purr. Suddenly, a powerful hand grabbed a handful of her tresses, and pulled her head back forcefully. Green eyes bore down on her.

"Fucking?" He asked, referring to her rule about not having sex, and sticking to it. She smiled seductively at him.

"Plenty of fucking," she told him. He jerked her head back even more until it was uncomfortable, and proceeded to lick her throat, nipping at her jugular vein.

With talented claws, he removed her leather halter, tossed it to the floor, and roughly palmed her breast in his hand. Jasmine couldn't suppress a moan, as she felt herself getting hotter with every passing moment, and with every nip on her throat. Wrapping a muscular arm around her waist, Kujhade lifted her and sat her on the other end of the long metal table. He promptly gave her breasts another squeeze, and trailed his talons down to the winding scar tissue around her waist. It was where the Xenomorph has dug the spines of its tail into her. It created a herringbone shaped scar all around.

"Strip" she demanded, giving his shoulders a push back. He grunted approval, and stepped back enough for her to see him. Even in the relatively low light, there was no detail she didn't drink in with her eyes. His pale skin was nearly glowing, and he purposely flexed and twitched every muscle as he watched her eyes linger on his body. He undressed quickly, but kept a small knife in his hand. He glided forward, the mist curling and snaking around his thick legs.

"Undress me," she said quietly, and he complied instantly. Her small loin cloth was gone in the blink of an eye, which left only the netting. It didn't hide any part of her, but it did manage to obstruct access to the most important parts. He grabbed tightly around her throat, applying just enough pressure, and then brought up the knife. He felt her heart rate increase with anticipation, as he very slowly cut away one thread at a time just hovering over her womanhood.

Who was the slave and who was the master became quite unimportant, as he introduced a new kind of play. He was choking her in all earnest, just not to the point of completely restricting her breathing, nor did she feel she was in any danger. Jasmine trusted him by now, but these new things, given what he was and the fact that if he wanted he could do more than just hurt her, added to the excitement. He was looking her straight in the eyes, as he cut each thread, the tip of the blade just ghosting against her most sensitive area. Not wanting to get cut, she was forced to open her legs for him, and he seemed to relish the idea the she was handing over the reigns. Jasmine felt the last piece of thread give way, and then the warm flat of the blade pressed against her right inner thigh. She couldn't help a whimper, as the anticipation of the unknown built up inside her. She grabbed both hands onto his forearm, his grip still semi-tight around her throat. Kujhade lifted the blade to her eye level so that she could get a good look at it. It was his trusty hunting knife. The very one he'd left with her when he thought she'd kill herself. He then lowered it, and the next thing happened so fast, she barely felt it. The knife's keen edge rivaled the sharpest razor blade. She never felt the cuts, but did feel her own blood trickle from her thigh to the table beneath her. He lifted the blade again and made a motion in the air with it.

"Kujhade" he said, as he air-spelled his name. So that's what he'd done? Carved his name into her? The very thought of it, sent a shiver down her spine, and made her wetter than ever. He took the blade and replaced it in the holster still on his thigh. Then of course, came the mandatory 'scenting'. Opening his jaws wide, Kujhade took a big whiff, inhaling her scent, and she could feel a violent shiver run through him. He forced her to lay back, his hand still wrapped effortlessly around her throat, as he dipped his head and began to lick the winding scar nearest her navel.

He painstakingly worked his way down to the real prize. This was the best part of what Jasmine had called 'foreplay'. If her scent was sweet, the source was even sweeter, and he buried his mandibles between her thighs, causing her to take a restricted breath. With his free hand, he clamped down on her thigh, restricting her movements even more, as she bucked her hips and squirmed underneath his assault.

Jasmine was starting to feel the sting of the cut he'd made on her thigh. His grip on her throat wasn't too tight for her to breath, but it was very firm, and she couldn't move it. He'd also made it difficult for her to move otherwise while he pleasured her, and it was this that drove her the craziest. She tried in vain to move her hips, to press herself into him, but it was no use. He'd gotten better at it, and had quickly learned where the most pleasurable spots were. She could move just enough to peek down at him, and the sight of such a wonderfully, predatory, creature buried in her middle, threatened an orgasm. She had to look away, but it was too late. She quivered and quaked underneath him, moaning as he finally lifted his head and licked his chops. Still laying back, she watched as he climbed on top of her. He lifted his fingers, checking to make sure he had left no bruise, and then tenderly licked her throat, nipping at her carotid artery again. She thought he would let her return the favor, but he seemed completely disinterested in that part. He reapplied his grip on her throat, and then very slowly entered her, allowing them both to revel in the very act itself.

Jasmine wrapped her legs around him now that she could. He grabbed both her hands into his large fist and pinned her arms over her head. With full body control, he still managed not to lean his entire weight on her body. He was building steam, as they locked eyes with each other. If he interpreted it correctly, she was silently pleading with him for more. He was proved right when he increased his speed and force. Her eyes fluttered closed and she grit her teeth, letting out a growl that only served to urge him on.

It was gone. The unreadable sea of emotion that always swam in his eyes when he made love to her was gone. What replaced it, was a solid wall of certainty. He was certain now, not only that he loved her, but that she would not make him regret it in any way. She had not made it a small matter, so now he could freely express what had been pent up for so long. How she lay in his arms the night she returned from her chiva, watching her be tended back to health, all those images drove him further still. He needed this, but he also needed her to _know_. She must know that it is more than a physical bond they shared, and he valued more than that. But this was something wasn't it? This was better than it had ever been before with her. She trusted him completely with her life, her body, her everything. The feeling was euphoric; intoxicating.

"More," she whispered, and it drove them both over the very edge of their desire. He crashed into her, with all the force he thought she could withstand. Finally, he released her hands and throat. He reached down and lifted her leg until her knee was at her chest, and roared his release. Her nails, which were now long and sharp, dragged along his rippling back, intensifying the feeling for both of them.

She went limp on the table, exhausted despite him doing all the work. He leaned down on his elbows as well, lightly growling and still nipping at her throat. She gently grabbed his face in both hands, and brought it close to hers. She gave him the most passionate kiss she could muster, and he returned the best way he knew how. Without words, he got up first, then lifted her naked form bridal style, and carried her to their private quarters. He wrapped her in their thick furs, and held her close in his arms, as they drifted into blissful sleep.

* * *

 **A/N: Hey guys! It's late but it's here! Hope you don't mind this chapter. It's shorter and not as emotionally intense as the last few, but I thought that might actually be welcomed. More action later as we start coming towards the conclusion of the story. See you guys next week!**


	19. Arrivals

It had been five days since their daring escape, and New York was now under the beginning of martial law. The explosion that rocked the underground facility, had been first deemed an earthquake, and it even registered on the Richter Scale at just over six. Residual underground explosions occurring due to ruptured gas main lines, were thought to be aftershocks until evidence refuted natural occurrence as the reason. It was then declared a terrorist attack with unknown perpetrators, and a potentially catastrophic result. The blast had not only destroyed the facility itself, but at least a five-block radius of buildings in Manhattan. It was declared a disaster area, as main sewage and water lines were burst as a result. Downtown Manhattan was flooded and as sewage seeped into the water and thus into the streets, it became a health hazard, and people were evacuated to the other boroughs. FEMA trucks and pop-up aid tents had erected overnight, as government officials tried to take control of the situation. An underground reservoir holding raw sewage just before it made its way to a treatment facility, had been destroyed as well, and hundreds of thousands of gallons of raw sewage threatened the lives of many.

The death toll was still mounting. No one knew of the lives lost within the secret laboratory, but the buildings immediately on top of the epicenter of the blast had crumbled to the ground, killing most within, and trapping others. Among residences, were grocery stores, and other businesses which had been crowded at the time. The skyscrapers remained standing, but some of them caught fire, and the NYFD were working 'round the clock to tend to all the mini blazes that had started in and around the affected area. The shorter, smaller buildings were either already fallen, or were a safety hazard. The one building that everyone was most concerned with, was the nuclear power plant located on the northern tip of Manhattan. It had suffered some damage, which resulted in loss of power for all of Manhattan, and parts of the other islands as well. It had however, avoided taking the amount of damage which would threaten a nuclear meltdown. Nevertheless, the phrase "modern day Chernobyl" had been tossed around enough to make people fearful of more than the loss of power.

Parts of the subway system had not escaped the growing carnage, as trains were derailed, and in the worst cases around the blast, people had been trapped in the station, where fallen debris had blocked the main exits. A nearby gas station exploded in a spectacular fireball of black flames and fuel, as ruptured gas lines leaked and caught fire. The death toll had been astounding, and the explosion had made all the surrounding structures unstable. Rescue efforts were slowed by the loss of power, as machinery and equipment had to be operated mostly in the daylight hours, or ran on generators at night. The city had turned off all the gas lines, trying to avoid compounding disaster.

The National Guard and the Army reserves, had been summoned to help the strained police force keep the peace, as the people became afraid and restless all over the city. The ruin of main sewage lines in Manhattan had of course, affected other parts of the sewage system which had stopped functioning properly. There was a backup system, but like all things happening at this scale, there was bureaucratic red tape slowing the process. This had created a burgeoning water crisis starting in the poorest parts of the city. The National Guard had been sent to the inner city, as social unrest threatened the possibility of riots. Not to mention, that there were now growing reports of strange noises and people going missing in groups at night.

Earlier, Marcus had sat in front of the television, flipping through the channels to see if he could catch anything new. Of note, was the fact that the name Weyland-Yutani was mysteriously missing from every report. It was as if the place he'd been in didn't exist at all. Another notable thing, was their very visible presence as part of the organizations which had come together with the National Guard and FEMA, to provide both humanitarian relief efforts, and to help with the rescue effort by supporting the overwhelmed emergency rooms, EMT's, and firefighters.

In growing disgust, Marcus ended up turning off the small television, and was now in the back of an old abandoned looking warehouse, practicing with Mike, Lex, and Astro. They were right on the edges of a residential neighborhood, where normally shots ringing out in the middle of the night would have been alarming. However, with all the current unrest and general mayhem, shots were heard all the time now.

"Hold the butt of the gun right up against your shoulder, real tight," Mike instructed. He watched as Marcus took aim at the dummy, posted at the far wall.

"Don't forget to use your sights. Breathe. Then pull the trigger. Don't fight the kickback, just go with it," Mike instructed further, then stepped back to let Marcus shoot.

He did as he was told. He shot twice, landing one in the "chest" and another where the head should have been. He then quickly reloaded, just as Mike had shown him, and took aim, but didn't discharge the weapon again.

"Not bad," Mike said, nodding his approval. "You would've made my old sergeant proud with that shooting after just a few days. Took me forever to really get comfortable," Mike complimented, giving Marcus a side-eyed look.

Mike had mentioned it to Alexa, and even she had to agree. Whatever, had happened to the young man was a mystery, as he didn't talk about it. What couldn't go unnoticed, was the way he'd physically bulked up. Not only was he a bit more muscular than when Mike had first met him, he was more muscular than the day they escaped. There weren't any other physical changes, but for the past few days of gun practice, Marcus had shown a tremendous proclivity for shooting. The kid had chalked it up to hours of Call of Duty, but it had been more than that.

Mike and Alexa didn't push the issue. With the huge amount of devastation and lives lost in the city, there was suddenly a lot on everyone's plate. Alexa had explained that the predator must have deployed his bomb, which she'd been witness to its destructive power once before on Bouvet Island. With tears in her eyes as she'd watched the news footage. She'd never imagined what that bomb could have done within a city. To cause the level of damage it had, the bomb had to be closer to being a nuke than any other form of explosive. Maybe not as much tonnage as what was dropped on Nagasaki or Hiroshima, but enough.

On top of all the other things, it had become obvious that the small group of survivors had been deeply traumatized by their experience. Mike was still reeling from not only Danny's betrayal of them all, but the fact that he'd killed his childhood friend. Mike's father had called to check on him and Danny, but Mike Jr., simply didn't have the heart to tell his old man the truth. So, he made Danny out to be a hero, telling his dad that it was Danny that had made sure they were safe, but had died doing so. His father was saddened by this, but happy that Danny had gone down fighting. Several times, Mike had to deter his father from traveling all the way from L.A to New York to see about him. Reluctantly, the old detective had agreed to stay put, but something in the way he'd said it, didn't reassure the son that it was true.

Alexa had been doing the shooting practice religiously, vowing that she would kill any Xenomorph or Yutani goon that she came across. Seeing the facility and facing a sure death, had strengthened her resolve against the company. She wasn't convinced that everything had been destroyed. Marcus and Astro's recounting of the events in the subway had let her know that the situation was already out of control, and that the company would rather risk the death of innocent people, than come out and admit such things publicly. The experience within the pyramid haunted her nightmares, and made her paranoid during the day. _Everything everywhere, could die,_ is what she'd said to Sebastian to convince him that giving the predators their guns was not only necessary but non-negotiable. It had been frightening to be with the one she'd mentally nicknamed Scar, but he had been nothing if not efficient. Even the one who'd just sacrificed himself, had done so, she presumed for the same reason; to kill every last one of those damn black aliens. The way she saw it, the partial destruction of New York was a small price to pay versus the alternative. Having those Xenomorphs running loose, would be enough to fulfill anyone's apocalyptic fantasies.

She now stood at the opposite end of the warehouse, away from the makeshift shooting gallery. Alexa had insisted that they go to a storage facility to retrieve her special weapon. Opening the case she'd bought to carry it in, she was always filled with wonder when she laid eyes on it. The spear that the elder predator had given her. She fought it, but every time she worked with it, which was as often as possible, her thoughts strayed to him. She didn't know his name, and doubted she could have spoken it had he been so kind to offer the knowledge. His face was a different story. She remembered every thorn, every scale, the long tusks, and the color of his intelligent eyes burning through her. He seemed to be thinking a million things at that moment, as was she. The moment was so overwhelming, confusing, terrifying, adrenaline filled, and pregnant with the fear of the unknown, that Alexa was surprised she could process any of it. If Scar had been scary enough to induce involuntary bowel movements, then what she assumed had to be the leader, was ten times worse. However, just underneath that panic inducing anxiety, lie a more familiar feeling. He had assessed her in less than a minute, and deemed her worthy of living, and perhaps of respect. It was all she could do, to ask to come with him. Mostly, it was due to the extremely hot temperature pouring off of him, and rolling towards her from the open gate of the ship, before it was cruelly whisked away by the domineering cold. For one fleeting moment, she thought he would actually invite her to come along. In that instant, Alexa couldn't think of anything she would so sorely miss from Earth, that she could have seen herself declining such an offer. Hours later, as she sat upon the Piper Maru, she didn't know what she'd been thinking. For months after, she fought against the fact that she'd romanticized the moment. It played out in her dreams. Dreams that were not quite nightmares, but something between the terror of darkness, and the sensual draw of its mystery. Had he been checking her out? Was the strange sound she heard after the thunder of her heart left her own ears, a growl or something else?

Alexa shook her thoughts back to clarity, and struck her stance. She'd been taking martial arts classes which focused on the staff, so that she could learn how to hold and wield it with some confidence. The one he'd given her was heavier than a standard fighting staff, but lighter than she thought it would have been. With a sigh, she began her breathing exercise and her kata.

[][][][][]

Marcus figured everyone had gone to sleep. Being on high alert, perhaps Mike wasn't asleep, but at this point it didn't matter. He was sitting on his bedroll near the electric furnace in the middle of the space. It was like being on a campsite in the middle of the city. Next to him just a few yards to the right, was Astro who was snoring loudly. He pulled out his phone, and started flipping through the old pictures. He wanted to delete the ones with his mother, but couldn't bring himself to do so. He finally landed on the small group of pictures he was looking for; Jasmine. Here she was standing in the doorway of his room at the old place. She was dressed in a leotard, with thigh high socks, ballet shoes, and her hair in a bun. She was standing on pointe, with a big smile on her face. It was the first time she'd been able to do it without falling. Another picture, and here they were taking selfies in the park. It was fall, and they both had jackets on. Hers had been a bit tattered and old, but she still wore her world-famous smile, with an arm around his shoulders, and landing a big smacking kiss on his cheek. By this time, she'd already been on the streets, and it was weeks before he saw her again. There would be no photograph capturing that moment, as he'd spotted her on the streets, and she'd run away from him. That had broken his heart, as he didn't understand why she wouldn't want to see him, but then she came by the next night, bringing him pizza and a few bucks.

He hadn't noticed until the pics became blurry, that he'd been crying. Jasmine is somewhere, but what if she isn't? What if during all this misdirection had led to her death when she could have been saved? He hated Danny, but almost wished he was alive so he could get some answers.

"Damn, you didn't tell me she looked like _that_ ," came Astro's voice from behind him. It made Marcus jump nearly to his feet, before he realized he'd been so caught in his thoughts, he hadn't heard Astro softly calling his name.

"Don't do that, man" Marcus said, hastily wiping his eyes.

"M'sorry dude, didn't mean to scare you. Is that her? Is that your sister?" Astro asked again, scooting closer. At first Marcus didn't want to be bothered, but then thought better of it. Maybe he shouldn't be alone in his thoughts right now. He might have needed someone a little more than he was letting on. He tried an awkward smile.

"Yeah, that's Jazzy. Everybody liked.. likes her. I always had to keep dudes from trying to talk to her," he said, snorting a small chuckle at a particular memory.

"Well, I can see why. She fine as hell. How long has it been, you know, since you last seen her?" Astro asked, huddling up the sleeping bag around his shoulders.

"Two years. Everybody said she was dead, but I don't believe that," Marcus said.

"I have to go find her. I have to know what happened?" He spoke again.

"Where do you think she is?" Astro asked, his interest piqued at the prospect of further intrigue.

"From what Alexa said, they've got a bunch of different places like where we just left. Maybe they got another place they put her or something. I mean, they didn't kill us, so they might not have killed her either," Marcus said, with a conviction he was starting to doubt more and more.

"Hmm. Maybe. What are you planning on doing though? You don't have a clue about where she might be, or do you?" The young man asked, raising a questioning brow.

"Imma go tonight. Take a look around, I guess. I don't know man. I don't know what to do anymore. She's the only family I got left, and I have to find her," he said. _She can't be gone and leave me here alone_ , he thought but didn't say. He looked at his newfound friend. The anguish and emotion written all over his young, handsome features. Astro clapped a hand on his shoulder, and held it.

"Listen to me. When my big brother went to prison, I was fucked up over it. He had gotten himself into a lot of trouble after coming back from the war. He had PTSD, sleeping disorders, all kinds of shit, and he couldn't get a job. He ended up robbing a liquor store, and killing everyone inside, before taking the money and running. A week later he came strolling into the police department to confess. Said he couldn't take it no more, with everybody screaming in his head when he tried to sleep. Due to the brutal efficiency of the kill shots, they gave him life without parole. My mom cried in the courtroom, but they just took him away. After about three years in, they found him dead in his cell, after he had taken a makeshift rope and choked himself to death with it. I ain't never been the same. My big brother taught me everything I know about guns, and war and shit. I miss him so much sometimes, I don't know what to do, but then I think about the fact that he would've wanted me to do better, you know? He wouldn't want me fucking around in the streets, and getting into a bunch of dumb shit, know what I mean?" He said, looking Marcus straight in his face. Numbly, Marcus nodded. A long moment passed in silence as the two young men absorbed the lesson to be learned.

"Thanks," Marcus mumbled. "I needed somebody to talk me outta something stupid," he said, offering a sad smile, and turning to get back in the sleeping bag.

"Anytime dude, anytime. By the way, when we do find your sister, you gotta hook a brother up, cause she fine as shit," Astro said, giggling as he got back under his own bag and lay down.

"I ain't hooking you up with shit. Can't nobody touch my sister," he said, smiling in spite of himself.

"Shut your dumb ass up and go to sleep," Astro shot back, as both boys giggled quietly, shooting barbs back and forth until they fell asleep.

With his back turned, Mike couldn't help thinking that he and Danny used to do the exact same thing when they were young. He wiped his own eyes, and fell into a fitful sleep.

Thwei Nikhou'te had finally gotten around to watching the feed that was bringing them back to the blue planet, and he couldn't believe his eyes. Arbitrator Kujhade had come to him, asking him to watch the video to see if he could determine anything that would help identify the hunter who'd recorded it. There had been nothing to go on. The hunter couldn't see himself, and any demarcations on the wrist gauntlet could no longer be discerned. The hunter had done his job, sacrificing himself and dying honorably, but at the moment, that was not what Thwei Nikhou'te, elder of the Black Death clan, was looking at. It was her. The human female from the pyramid chiva, in that frozen hellhole. She had not changed, at least from what he could see. It was short, as the hunter's gaze did not remain upon her, but it was enough for Thwei to be absolutely certain.

He clicked to himself. Feeling anxious or uncertain was not something he had become accustomed to during his long life. The day he'd happened upon Jasmine, he was full of swagger and confidence, even after he realized she was not the human he was looking for. Now, it was a little different. He'd made up his mind that she was coming with him. That point was non-negotiable, but what would he need to do to take his wonderful, exotic living trophy? This short time being in the presence of Kujhade and Jasmine, had caused him to think long and hard about whether or not he should pursue a human mate. Humans would appear to have different personalities, not unlike his own kind. His sire had told him about his human ancestry before, but his sire had not ever had that sort of contact with humans, and Thwei himself had only ever hunted them. His clan brothers did not like her presence, and seeming to sense this, Jasmine made herself scarce or kept herself within her mates quarters, which was smart. She seemed a good bearer, and was obviously a natural-born hunter. Also, just as the female he had set his sights upon, Jasmine held an odd sort of beauty, and he'd had some of the most desirable females of his kind. Not to speak of her mating prowess. Unlike his own kind, she was fully engaged in the act, enjoying it, and not under any compulsion to try to harm her mate. He refrained from doing so now, but he'd studied the feed of the arbitrator and his mate at the rituals. Many times he'd imagined having Jasmine, although there was no longer an available opportunity for that. Slowly, his thoughts had replaced Jasmine with the other human female, and how she would behave when he mated her. He clicked again in annoyance with himself.

"You're acting like a young blood, Thwei," he muttered to himself. He took another long look at her in the feed, before clicking it off. He had decided that since she was there, and he wanted her, it would not do for him not to personally claim her. He could leave his second in command, Lar'ja, in charge of the clan. He was more than capable of running things, and had not yet thought to challenge for the position.

Thwei gathered himself and contacted Lar'ja, summoning him to his private quarters. Within a few minutes, the second-in-command appeared at the door. He was not quite as tall as Thwei, and he was covered in dark blue mottling, with streaks of yellow running over his sides and back. His golden eyes were keen and hard, but he was fiercely loyal to his clan and hunt brothers.

"I am here, elder Thwei. What do you need of me?" Lar'ja asked, lowering his eyes in respect.

"Come, you need not be so formal Lar'ja. Have a seat, I only have something brief to discuss with you," Thwei said, turning and motioning for Lar'ja to sit.

The room was really Thwei's private bridge. From here he could monitor all the common areas of the ship along a bank of ever-changing images just above eye-level. There was also a rounded console where he could communicate, or control access to certain areas without contacting the main bridge.

Stiffly, Lar'ja took a seat in one of the chairs facing the console. He wore his mask, and sat perfectly straight in his seat. Above, the feed of the doomed hunter sat paused upon Lex's image. He regarded it, then turned to watch his clan leader take his time to make himself comfortable before sitting. Thwei sat, but did not acknowledge Lar'ja. He seemed concentrated on the image of the human female. Lar'ja fought the urge to voice his unease, and disgust in the matter. It was enough to have a living, breathing human female onboard, although she was hardly ever seen outside the company of her mate or other male clan member.

Finally, after taking his time to watch the feed once more, Thwei spoke.

"Lar'ja, I will need you to take over leadership of the clan. I have decided that I will participate in this great hunt, but the clan must be left in capable hands if I were to do so," the elder said, turning to see his second's reaction. Lar'ja clicked a bit, but other than that, said nothing.

"I have not gone on a true hunt in many cycles. It will be good for me to keep my edge if I am to hold on to my position. I will need you to oversee that our original plans for the clan are maintained. I will be taking my own personal vessel to the blue planet, but you will continue to the eighteenth quadrant for the assigned hunts. Is this understood?" He asked.

"Sei-i," Lar'ja replied, then got up unbidden and headed for the door.

"If you have something on your mind, you should speak it Lar'ja," Thwei called behind him. Lar'ja stopped in his tracks. He knew it was a no-no to not only have excused himself, but to give his back. He turned on his heels quickly. Thwei had grown patient in his old age, but not by that much. It was best not to test its limits. A few tense moments passed, but if he didn't say it, it would fester and cloud his mind and decision-making. Best to get this out in the open, while it was just the two of them, and while it was asked of him. Lar'ja squared his shoulders and spoke.

"The arbitrator and his human mate's presence on this clanship, has caused quite a stir here, elder," he stated. Thwei raised a thorned brow, but said nothing.

"She seems to be well-trained and tamed, but still, many disapprove of her being here at all, while others seem a little too intrigued. There has been some talk of a few of the young bloods, wanting to partake in some taboo behavior with it,"

"Her. Taboo behavior with _her_ ," Thwei corrected. "Your point, Lar'ja," Thwei urged.

"My point, Elder Nikhou'te, is that the ooman female is scarcely around, and there is a stir. Would you bring another female prey here among us? Surely, this would not be, a wise decision," Lar'ja took a chance to say.

"Do you believe me to be unwise Lar'ja?" Thwei asked. Lar'ja declined to answer the loaded question. Instead, he chose another way.

"Elder, only because I know your lineage am I able to understand your, inclination towards the ooman females. But, the rest of the males in this clan, will not understand, and they may well view it as a weakness that you take on a ooman as a mate. If I know you, clan leader, she will be your living trophy, not to be touched or harassed, and perhaps even your true mate. Am I wrong?" Lar'ja responded, his eyes cast low, just in case anything could be thought as a disrespect.

He laughed. The grating, clicking sound went on for long moments, as Lar'ja looked up warily. He shifted just slightly, and even ran a quick scan of his clan leader to assure himself of his health.

"This is why you are my close second, and why I seek your council on important matters. Relax, Lar'ja, I am not angry with you. In fact, you speak true. Having her here, would raise many questions, but none that a visit to the kehrite and the drawing of blood would not answer," Thwei said, rising from his seat to clasp a large hand on Lar'ja's shoulder good-naturedly. The second in command, relaxed visibly.

"There is one more thing elder. Do you know the old huntmaster, the one who trained your pup?" Lar'ja began. Thwei nodded.

"He watched the feeds of the both the ooman female and her clan mate, the female they now call Nanku Bhu'ja. He says, he believes the young blood female, to be his own pup. At first, I thought he'd had one too many sips of c'nlip, but when I looked at him, and then saw her training with the males, the resemblance is very close. I do not know if this will be of any real importance later, but I did not like to keep you in the dark," Lar'ja stated, happy that it was off his chest. He did not know why the prospect of that pup belonging to an old hunter should have bothered him at all. Now, Thwei was obliged to concern himself with it, or not.

"That is interesting, but nothing that serves the interest of the clan for now. I will prepare myself at once to join the arbitrator on this hunt. There is little time left now, and I must make sure my clan is taken care of," Thwei said, and sent Lar'ja away. He retreated to his own private kehrite to mentally prepare himself for a hunt of a different kind.

* * *

(Two days later)

Jasmine stood at the large window of her clan's main bridge. She had tried not to think too hard about what it would feel like to see her home planet again, and rightfully so. She'd never seen it from space, and she could not now describe all the feelings that ran through her. She felt dizzy with excitement, sick to her stomach with nerves, lightheaded with the overwhelming joy, and underneath it all, a pervasive sadness. There was something very bittersweet about it.

It loomed ever larger, as the city-sized clan ship approached. It was exquisitely beautiful, with its large swaths of deep blue ocean, its puffy clouds, and as they approached, the solid mass of continents. Somewhere over the Pacific Ocean, a storm was raging. She could tell by the enormous swirl of clouds with a pinhole of an eye at its center. Jasmine drew in a shaky breath, and placed her open palm upon the glass. Kujhade, Mar'cte, and T'chnde were at the ships controls, getting ready to undock it and fly into Earth's orbit.

Nanku and Lijia sidled up next to Jasmine, watching her eyes and not being able to pinpoint just which emotion they were witnessing. Nanku spoke up first.

"You do not seem happy to have come to your home planet. Are you worried about hunting your own kind?" She asked, with all the subtlety of an elephant crashing through the underbrush. Jasmine turned to her, her expression like that of a woman just waking from a very realistic dream.

"No, it's just…. I don't really know how to feel about it. I missed it, but I didn't know how much until just now. As for killing people, I'm not worried about that. I won't be killing innocent people, just like you wouldn't kill an innocent yautja. We might be prey to you, but these are my people, and I'm not gonna tolerate just killing as you see fit if I can help it," Jasmine said, her voice stern, but her gaze settled upon the blue planet. Nanku was about to object, when Kujhade's deep voice rolled across the bridge.

"Young blood! Concentrate upon the task at hand. This is no mere pleasure hunt. Humans are not the primary target. We are here to clean out a nest of kiande amedha, so I suggest you turn your thoughts to that, rather than speak of hunting humans to a human," he said, the tone one of ultimate authority.

Nanku dipped her head immediately, and backed away from Jasmine, and dared not go near Kujhade, even though his focus had returned to manning the ship.

"Do not mind her clan sister, she is young yet," Lijia said by way of comforting Jasmine. She just shrugged and turned her eyes back to Earth. She felt the subtle shift as the ship finished undocking and now was starting to point itself towards their mission.

"Mama, where that?" A little raspy voice called up from her left. She smiled and reached to pick up Mili, and let Yeyinde climb her back for a better view. They were now too heavy for her to pick them both up at the same time in her arms. They spoke well in English, but their yautjan was nearly fluent, and they spoke it to her now.

"That's where mommy comes from, baby. Yeyinde, you see it too?" She asked, kissing Mili's crown, eliciting a little purr.

"Sei-i mama. Is pretty mama. We go?" he asked, leaning down to peer into her face, his mandibles clicking in curiosity.

"Yes baby, we go. Mommy's gonna hunt some hard meats with daddy and uncle," she told them.

"Mama, where that, where that?" Mili asked again, pointing impatiently towards the looming planet.

"It's called Earth, and that's where mommy comes from," she said, watching them work it out in their little minds. They stared back and forth between her and the strange planet. Even venturing to take a look at their father. It was Yeyinde that asked first.

"Mama, what, what, what you mama?" He asked, uncertain if that was even a valid question. Almost as if he himself, was unsure that he should be asking. Jasmine smiled to herself. They were so smart and perceptive. She even thought she heard the three males behind her, grow silent to watch this interesting, and unique exchange between a bearer and her pups.

"Does mommy look like daddy, Yeyinde?" She asked, trying to get them to think about it. They tilted their heads to the side, rolling the question around. Finally, Mili answered.

"M-di?" He ask-answered.

"Does mommy look like Lijia?" She asked again.

"M-di!" It was Yeyinde's turn to answer more confidently.

"That's right. Do you know why mommy doesn't look like daddy or Lijia?" She queried them again. This time they had to furrow their smooth brows in thought. Once more, they looked closely at the differences between their bearer and their sire.

Jasmine couldn't explain why this line of questioning made her nervous. She had secretly dreaded the day that her children would discover that she was not like them. They might even come to believe she was inferior, based purely upon the difference in the species. It frightened her to think that they might one day come to dissociate themselves from her as they grew older and remained in the only culture to which they outwardly fit in. Finally, they seemed to come to a consensus on the answer, after clicking to each other for a long time.

"Mama, not yautja," they said in unison. Their tone was very serious as was the look on their faces. They seemed concerned, or maybe even worried.

"No, mommy is not yautja. Mommy is human, and we are going to the human world today," she said quietly. The look of anxiety increased on Yeyinde's face. Mili began to click rapidly, his body hitching in the beginnings of a cry.

"Mama leave?! Mama leeaaaavee!" Yeyinde screamed, becoming very upset at the thought.

"Come back mama!" Mili groaned, burying his face in the crook of her neck, and growling. It would have been hilariously cute, had the sounds of their very real hurt and distress, not been so damn heartbreaking to hear.

They were children still, toddlers in human terms. They had not associated the finality of her death with the prospect of her never coming back from her chiva. As far as they were concerned, as long as she was hunting she was safe. After all, they hunted and it was always a fun adventure to have. It was a natural part of their genetic makeup to be predisposed to hunting. However, the realization that their mother was not only not a yautja, but that she was something else, and was now returning to the place where things like her came from, had sent them reeling. They had put it together in their minds somehow, that if she returned to wherever she had come from, that she would most certainly not come back. After all, why else does one go back where they came from, if not to stay?

Starting up her best rendition of a purr, Jasmine knelt down and stood her sons before her. They calmed a bit, but were still clicking their distress, and looking worriedly between her and each other. She grabbed each in one arm, and drew them close, in warm embrace.

"Listen to mama, shhhh, listen to mama," she said quietly, and they tried to focus on her, staring intently into her face.

"Mommy, will never, ever leave you. I love you sooo much. How could mommy ever leave her sweet babies? We are all going, and mommy and daddy are going to hunt, but mommy is coming back okay? Do you understand?" She asked, stroking their tendrils which had hit a growth spurt and were now at their shoulders. They nodded as she lightly kissed the crowns of their broad heads, until they stopped crying completely, and snuggled into her chest. She sat on the floor, rocking them both as they took up residence on her lap. It had been the first time since they were breastfeeding, that they had allowed her to rock them to sleep.

Behind her, Kujhade had been paying very close attention. Even though things had become much more peaceful between them, he couldn't help a nagging worry that if they ever came back to her home planet, that Jasmine _would_ want to stay without him. She could not leave him…ever. If she did, there would be no place on that backwater blue planet that she could hide. He would hunt her down, with every instinct and piece of technology at his disposal, and when he found her, he would bring her back, forcibly if need be. Just the mere thought got him agitated enough to bring up a low, rattling growl from the back of his throat. Listening to her assure their pups that she would never leave, also served to assure him of the same, although he would have been hard-pressed to admit it so openly. He thanked Paya, that he could now rest that last worry for good.

* * *

The city had gotten worse. It was quickly descending into madness, and the small group of survivors had been leaving the safety of their warehouse, less and less. The water crisis was in full bloom, as the city failed to right itself in the aftermath. There would have been rioting and burning, had the city not been in the grip of a nameless fear. For the past two nights, the streets of New York, once to be found bustling in some areas in the wee hours of the morning, were all but desolate. The National Guard and police congratulated themselves on being able to keep a tentative peace in a ravaged city, but that was only for national consumption. The people living in the city, knew that there was another force keeping the crime and the willingness to roam the streets, at bay. Quickly, the tales of black demons, monsters, had spread like wildfire. At first, people didn't believe it, but as more and more people started turning up missing, the tales and rumors transformed into a gospel truth. Children were kept indoors as much as possible. Any looting was done only in the day, and that only for the necessities of life and health. Those that could travel, had already left to other places, which left the military, the poor, the dead, and Weyland-Yutani to oversee it all.

For Marcus' group, escaping had been more than a little tricky. It had been damn near impossible. They weren't wanted by the police or the feds, but by the corporation. They had managed to co-op, then subvert the National Guard as the primary policing force in the city, which meant they were essentially in charge of a crisis that normally the federal government would handle. Getting past security checkpoints, which monitored traffic in and out of New York was no small feat. Since it had never been revealed or found out, who or what caused the initial underground explosion, the city was now on high terrorist alert, which meant that martial law was now in full effect.

It was all very frustrating to put it mildly, and Marcus found himself less able to sleep as the days dragged on into the nights. He was suffering now from one such sleepless night, as he sat on the edge of the warehouse rooftop. He had laid an old tattered blanket down, and sat cross-legged, watching the stars. Since the power had not been restored fully, he could now see them clearly. He'd never thought to stargaze before, but when you had a lot of time on your hands due to hiding from the authorities, you found stuff to do. He sat with his headphones on, listening to the latest rap songs, and unsuccessfully trying not to think of Jasmine. He was consumed with the idea of finding her. Instead of the feeling decreasing with every passing day, it was doing just the opposite. His hope of finding answers was stronger now than it had ever been, because he now had a place to look. Somewhere to place his blame. Someone to take revenge on. That stupid company would pay, if he had anything to say about it, but that didn't fill the hole in his heart. Would she hate him for killing his own father? Would she think he was a monster, for not staying and letting their mom take the rap, if indeed that's what she had done? It's not like he had gone back to check. He'd intended to, eventually, but one thing led to another, and now he was living in the middle of a damn apocalypse. With a heavy sigh, Marcus lay back, lacing his fingers behind his head, and stared into the night sky. Shooting stars. He'd never seen one before, and these seemed really big. They streaked silently across the black and midnight sky. If he hadn't just been looking up by chance, he would have missed them. Maybe they were meteorites. He'd learned that meteorites struck the earth all the time, you just didn't notice it because they were usually pretty small. He tracked them for a while, until they just seemed to vanish. They were gone. He furrowed his brow at the spot where they had been just seconds before. They'd just, blinked out of existence. Chewing his bottom lip in thought, Marcus eventually shrugged it off, reached into his pocket, and fished out a stick of chewing gum.

"Whatever," he muttered to himself, and smiled. Jasmine would have liked to have seen something like that.

[][][][][]

Kujhade had left the main ship cloaked, and in earth's immediate orbit like a satellite. He, Jasmine, Mar'cte, Nanku, and Elder Thwei had taken single occupant pods down to the coordinates of the infested area. Lijia had been left with the pups, and T'chnde along with two young bloods of the clan, were left to tend the ship and offer any tactical or technical support. If Kujhade deemed to need more hunters on the ground, he would send for the two young bloods.

Re-entry into Earth's atmosphere wasn't as bad as she thought it would be. It had gone smoothly, and so had the landing. Each pod had settled on the outskirts, left undetectable, and so that the hunters could come from multiple angles. Mar'cte and Nanku were one team, Thwei growled at the suggestion that another hunter accompany him, and Kujhade and Jasmine were of course paired together.

They landed on the northern end of New York. She took her first steps on earthen soil in more than two years, and nearly burst into the tears. She didn't know how much she would miss it, until she saw it again. It wasn't the people, or her life, or the things, but the earth itself. She missed the air, the ground, the familiarity of human beings, the sky, the sight of skyscrapers against a skyline. These are the things that nearly brought her to tears, but she held up. She was on a mission, and it meant more to her than to any of the hunters, Kujhade included. Now that she'd gotten up close and personal with those black abominations, she had a personal duty as a human to exterminate them from the face of her planet. No way could they be allowed to overrun it, to kill off whole populations, which they were more than capable of doing.

As Jasmine disembarked, she looked over to Kujhade. He was all arbitrator business, in his black armor, bristling with muscles, weapons, and the skulls of past prey decorating him. She didn't look too shabby either, in her alien-inspired gear. The pair of them would have struck fear into anyone's heart. They each re-checked the sync and comms between all wrist gauntlets. This would be the very first time that she joined him on a hunt, and would get to see him in full predator kill mode. It both frightened and excited her. They turned their attention towards New York city limits, only a couple of miles away, and headed off to begin the hunt.

* * *

 **A/N: Hi there my people! Sorry that I didn't post last week. Life happens, and I had to step back a little. I want to still try to keep up my weekly updates gong forward. It does get a little hectic simply because writing has a tendency to consume every piece of my free time, and I've had to dedicate it to other things as of late. However, I hope you all enjoyed this. It's intriguing that a member of Thwei's clan would be Nanku's sire potentially. I wonder what impact that would have on the clan, or on Nanku herself? Anyway, don't forget to leave your reviews and thoughts.**


	20. Infested: Elder Thwei's Hunt

Bishop stood at the corner of Ruined and Fucked Up, watching the painfully slow rescue efforts drag along. The National Guard and the Army Reserves had done an admiral job for the poor denizens of the Big Apple, but it was time to move them along, gradually. He'd lost the empress, but when he thought about it, that wasn't as bad as first believed. If he tried hard enough, this current fiasco wasn't either. There was no way to suppress all the information and the truth of the matter, but the news networks on the company payroll had done a good enough job of obfuscating the facts, and offering just enough of a spin to simultaneously confuse the public, and assuage them as well. The name Weyland-Yutani had come up a few times, as they eventually had to disclose the damage of the facility itself. They were very careful to hide the true nature of the research, and instead garnered a vague sort of public sympathy, by focusing on the brave scientists who lost their lives in a freak accident. Of course, the natural questions that followed such explanations had to be redirected. Things like, _'what were they working on that could have backfired in such a tragic way?'_ and ' _Wasn't it irresponsible for a multi-billion dollar corporation, not to disclose such a potential danger to the proper authoritative bodies?_ ' and last but not least, _'why did the company wait so long to tell the public that the destruction of its facility was the cause, and not a terrorist threat?'._ There was no way to answer truthfully without incriminating itself, so those inquiries were silenced, and the focus remained on an unknown terroristic threat, because that was still a possibility, wasn't it? These people were everywhere, and likely were trying to use one of the companies most valuable (and classified) projects, as a weapon. Cynthia Weyland was wonderful at non-answering the questions thrown at her, but she was still fired by the Board of Directors, as a show to the public that Weyland-Yutani Industries, takes accountability for its wrongs, and works to correct them. That same board sought to reign Bishop in, but he couldn't care less about those old fucking farts. All they wanted to do was sit in plush offices and call down impractical orders, and he was having none of it. They didn't get their hands dirty. Cynthia at least wasn't afraid of the truth of their more nefarious plans, but even she steered clear of some of the dirtier work. That left Bishop to attend to it all, and he did so with relish. He owned a significant amount of stock in the company, and could not easily be moved. That, coupled with the stipulations of his 'employment' as it were, made it nearly an impossible feat. They knew it, he knew it, and so they spouted their rhetoric, but kept their distance, and that was all he wanted.

The facility was gone, but more concerning was the issue of a hive within the subway tunnel network. After the unexpected attack, the company had moved to contain it, but those fuckers were smart. Chalk that up to good research and experimentation. The new queen was spawned according to the natural Xenomorph life-cycle process, but they'd been working on altering them for better control. The experiments had not gotten far, before she'd coordinated an escape, which indicated that perhaps those experiments had been successful on some level. Bishop had lost all hope of recapturing the queen, or her drones as they would be too strong for that now. With the company's para-military force occupied with the city, they didn't have the numbers to take a hive, and he didn't want to draw undue attention. However, a unique opportunity had presented itself. He knew from experience that a hive takeover shouldn't take this long. If this queen had been building a hive since the destruction of the first research facility, then New York should have been overtaken, and the world would be on notice of the new alien species. It hadn't happened like that. He wondered if this was by design. Was she biding time? Was it possible that she was smart enough to understand that the presence of her hive should be left undetected until she was sure it was strong enough to mount its own offensive, and begin its extermination of human life in the interest of its own survival? This was more than a possibility, this struck Bishop as the absolute truth. After all, she'd moved that hive away within less than twenty-four hours. The only thing left was the tell-tale sign that a hive had been there. The resin-like material was still disgustingly wet, and a few bodies remained. Also, any eggs left behind had been utterly destroyed by the Xenos themselves. No big loss to them. As long as they had a queen, they had an egg source, and she could lay plenty in short order.

Bishop had ordered the discreet removal of any sign of alien life, and the timing couldn't have been better. He had also order the hive to be tracked, and was having marginal success in that before the disaster. Now, he had a very good idea where it was located. The trail of suddenly missing people was the first sign. Thankfully, the police were so overworked and overwhelmed, that they had little time to devote to the missing person's cases. This allowed Bishop significant freedom of movement without being questioned as to his motives. His team had successfully tracked at least three pockets of concentrated reports of the missing, and all of them were in the now more heavily populated boroughs where they'd moved the residents of Manhattan. The first was in the Bronx, the other two in Queens. These places had quickly gone from small temporary tent-cities, to all-out, refugee camp status in a short time. This was by Bishop's orders. These people should be given the aid they needed, slowly. If there were loose Xenomorphs around, they would be attracted to heavily populated areas where sources for hosts would be plentiful. His intuition had paid off, and he'd ordered teams to station themselves in those places. He wanted only to watch and monitor the situation for now. Call it a city-wide experiment if you will, where the subjects were human, as they usually were. Instead of having to kidnap people under various guises, he could simply sit back and watch "nature" take its terrible course. He believed he could contain this little research and development, to the confines of city limits. After all, New York was essentially a cluster of small islands, and while Xenomorphs could swim easily over great distances, he doubted they would be motivated to expand when they could thrive right where they were.

He was brought out of his thoughts by the crackle from his very expensive walkie-talkie. He turned away from the noise, in order to hear a little better.

"This better be good," he spoke to one of the hired soldiers.

"Sir, we thought you might want to know about this. There was a disturbance on the northern checkpoint for camp B1. They failed to respond to the half hour interval communications check," the soldier reported. "Shall I send a few men to check it out sir?"

"Yes, and report back as soon as possible. Don't send more than three, we need to keep vigilant. If it looks like a disturbance of the bug variety, you know what to do," Bishop answered, and ended the conversation before a response could be heard. He decided his time would be better spent making sure there was nothing else happening that could take him by surprise. He made his way to the large black SUV, and sped off in the direction of camps Q1 and Q2, or the camps in Queens. Better to be careful, than to be sorry.

[][][][][]

Jasmine was caught by surprise over the number of people sprawled over this one area, which couldn't have been more than two square miles altogether. There were lights dotting the tent-city, as people milled around. They had come over the wall away from a checkpoint to keep from drawing unwanted attention. Kujhade insisted on them splitting up to cover more ground. Since hunting humans wasn't the priority, he didn't want to make a huge entrance. It was better to move silently for as long as possible, because when the killing got into motion, it would be a task to keep it quiet.

She hadn't wanted to do any splitting up, but had to admit to herself there was a certain amount of relief in not trying to hunt alongside him. He was a natural master, and she'd be self-conscious the whole time. Now, she could focus on moving quietly, hunting only for hard meats, and avoiding as many people as possible. There was a patrol along the wall. Soldiers two-by-two came strolling by once every ten minutes. It hurt her to see her city, an American city, looking like something out of a middle eastern war zone, but she couldn't focus on that either. Also, there was Marcus. No matter what kind of hunt she was on, there was no way she could come back here and not find her brother. She hoped he hadn't died in all this chaos caused by the hunter's nuke.

Cloaked, Jasmine squatted perched on a low rooftop, waiting for the guards to pass her by. They were on high alert, looking everywhere with their large halogen flashlights. She knew the cloaking was second to none, but she still sucked in a breath as the light passed over her. They went on by, and she thought it was a good time to come off that roof. If she knew anything about these hard meats, they liked hidden crevices and places to hide, like some kind of insect or bug. Perhaps the guards would pass by a place of interest, or she could find out where they checked in, to get a good idea of how many there were. Instead of jumping down, Jasmine decided to follow along via rooftop to see where they went.

[][][][][]

Mar'cte and Nanku surveyed the densely-populated area. The amount of armed humans was nothing short of a small army. It was also nothing that they couldn't handle. If they could manage not to be reckless, it would be a simple matter to get past them undetected. The humans had built a large wall, fencing in other humans. He and Nanku perched along the top of it. Mar'cte reached into his belt and pulled a small circular item. He punched a barely visible button on top of it, and it buzzed quietly to life. He cloaked it, then stood and threw it into the crowd below, but instead of hitting anyone, it flew off like a miniature UFO.

"What was that master hunter?" Nanku asked, amazed.

"That was something T'chnde created. It is used to scan an area quickly. If there are hard meats to be found, then they are below. We need to find the entrance to the nest quickly," he explained, as he synced his wrist gauntlet to the small device. It was capturing the image of the entire area, including a few feet underground as well.

It took a few moments only to find what he was looking for; manholes. He turned to his young partner, who had focused her attention on two guards patrolling nearby. He clicked quietly to her.

"Here is what we need. You enter here, and I will come from this direction. I expect you know how to pick up a hard meat trail, without alerting the entire planet, yes?" He mocked. She shook her head, chuffing and turning away, but she couldn't ever get truly angry with her hunt brother.

"I take that as a yes. Go, and do not waste any time. Kill humans only if you must, and make sure they cannot raise any alarms," Mar'cte ordered, and then leaped down silently, stalking towards the unguarded manhole cover.

[][][][][]

Ground zero. This is where the hunter had deployed his weapon, and where Thwei felt was the best place to start. The first order of business was to make sure that nothing had survived that blast, and then branch out from there. His pod had landed near the waterfront, which was very close to the blast area. He inhaled as deeply as he could. It had been quite a few cycles since he'd stepped foot on the blue planet for a proper hunt. This was invigorating. The area was destroyed, which gave the elder hope that no hard meats had survived, but one could never be too sure. He stood tall against the moonlight, grey dreads blowing in the calm breeze, which brought to him the stink of death and decay. His gun metal grey armor did not gleam, as he'd gone with armor that did not distinguish his rank with markings. It was however, state-of-the-art, and could withstand the acid blood of a hard meat easily. He would have been an awesome sight, had he not been cloaked from view. He surveyed the land, watching as groups of humans worked hard to recover the remains of the dead ones. Good. That kept them occupied and out of his business. Reaching for his wrist gauntlet, Thwei Nikhou'te released two micro drones. They each flew off in different directions after he synced them. One he had programmed to lock on to any trace of hard meat DNA, the other was sent on reconnaissance for the female. He'd used a facial recognition technology, having grabbed the shot from the doomed hunter's feed. He hoped it was detailed enough to detect her among what had to be many hundreds of thousands of humans.

Within a few minutes, one of the drones came back carrying vital information. There was an abundance of activity not too far to the south of his position. Many armed humans were there, and they seemed to be protecting something. Perfect. In full stealth mode, Thwei followed the path which had been mapped out by the drone. It wasn't difficult to go undetected, as the humans seemed rather occupied by their work. About fifteen or twenty minutes later, he came upon a well-lit pavilion of sorts. It looked like a small army base. He'd been led to the very worst of the damage, and it was a gold mine. The large tent covered base had been sufficiently walled off from everyone else. Many humans stood guard while workers were very busy carrying something from a large hole in the ground. Thwei set his bio-mask scans to work, and then grunted in surprise. He could feel the blood starting to run hot in his veins. Choosing a type of x-ray vision, he saw that they were carrying large containers, each holding a hard meat egg. That was all he needed to see. They seemed unafraid, and also to know what they were doing. Bad bloods then. He watched as they stacked about five of them neatly in a transport, taking them to Paya knows where. The vehicle could not be allowed to leave, and also all the humans needed to be killed, starting with the armed guards.

Preparing himself for the attack, Thwei took one last look around, plotting the best method and point of attack. He had leaped on top of the makeshift wall, as it was the highest vantage point he could reach. The large enclosed space was surrounded by large bright lights, illuminating every corner. He would need to cut those lights. There were no less that fifteen or twenty guards, and he'd need to take them out as quickly as possible. Then he spotted it. A large rumbling piece of machinery seemed to be supplying the power they were using. Swiftly, Thwei jumped down and skulked over to the machine. It was primitive. For the life of him, he couldn't figure out why humans hadn't switched over to more powerful and reliable energy sources. Taking his bare hands, he simply ripped the thick cords apart, and the lights died instantly. The sounds of angry confusion were quick to follow, as he took up space on top of the temporary wall once again. Stupidly, they'd come towards the machine with individual lights, but they were all headed through two exits along the wall. A few were investigating the machinery he'd destroyed, but more concerning was the fact that the small transport with the hard meat eggs inside, seemed about to leave. Thwei grabbed his smart disc from its thigh holster, and tossed it at the engine compartment.

"What the hell was that?"

"The fuck is going on here?!"

"Everybody, night vision, right now!"

Thwei absently wondered if human equipment had the capability to see through his cloak. In a moment, it wouldn't even matter. A few men ran towards the downed truck, trying to figure out what happened. Thwei wasn't concerned with them, so much as the ones just below him. They had their guns drawn, and were searching in every direction. With his disc returned to him, he could now take out these few in short order. Surefooted, Thwei leaped across the top of the wall until he ended up with a clear sightline for the entire clustered group. Smart disc back in hand. He gave it a good toss. They never saw it coming. In one pass, it took the heads of all five men. Their bodies had not fell to the ground before, a few of the others saw it. As expected, it sent them into a panic as they shot in all directions.

He hadn't had this much pure excitement in ages. The blood rushed through his veins as he pulled two mini combi-sticks. They were roughly about the size of a pair of tonfa, but made to fit his hands. He leaped down right in the middle of a group of soldiers huddled and shooting at nothing. With a roar that caught them completely off guard, he struck down three men before they could turn their weapons on him. The smell of terror permeated the air. With a click of a mandible, Thwei allowed more air to filter in, so that he could inhale that scent. It was acrid, pungent, and intoxicating. It spurred him on, and he almost felt like a young blood again. With another click of the mandible, he decloaked and some of the men tried to stifle a scream.

"A fucking predator! Kill it!" One of them yelled.

Finally, they managed to aim their guns at him to shoot. He felt the hot sting of bullets hit his back. With the bladed edge of his tonfa, he stabbed one man through the heart, the blades easily piercing the chest armor.

"Fuck, Jones! It went right through!"

He turned and sent the stick flying behind him in the direction of the shots that hit him. Seeing it coming, the soldier tried to dodge, but it was no use. The blade pierced him through the back of the throat. He fell dead trying to shoot his weapon. Thwei dispatched the rest of the group with ease. They had never faced down a hunter, and they were more paralyzed with fear than anything. They were killed so fast, that he was slightly disappointed. With a roar, Thwei leaped, covering the twenty-five-foot distance to the dead body, and retrieved his weapon. There were only a few men left now. Three men cowered near the vehicle. He could smell their fear. Good. That would keep them rooted to their pathetic spots. The last four men made an attempt to surround him. He tilted his head to the side, in a way that would have been endearing had he not been a more than seven-foot-tall, alien murder beast. Why weren't they shooting? They were encroaching upon him, communicating with others that were not there. Their fear scent was strong, but they were controlling it. Thwei didn't like it at all. He growled loudly, which gave them momentary pause. Aside from the four he could see, there were two distinct scents coming up on his rear. So, they thought they could trap him? These miserable backwater, dimwitted humans thought they would capture him like they did the fallen hunter who drew them here? He'd been standing very still with his head tilted, looking as innocent as a blood-soaked alien could look. As they continued to come closer, trying to bait him by being calm, Thwei obliged by not moving, at least for the moment. Suddenly, he was animated. He roared loudly, turning with his wrist blades extended to slash the throat of the first man, and run his blades through the chest of the second. He turned back around, the man dying as the blood cascaded over his hand. Thwei retracted his blades, and grabbed the man by the throat. He ripped the headgear from the dying man, and directed his mask towards the four men left. With one hand, he removed the hoses from his mask. The men were transfixed. It would have been the best time to kill it, but they were under standing orders to capture one if they could. He lifted his mask, flexing his mouth and roared at them again. Keeping eye contact with each of them, he lifted the now dead man up, and bit his throat, ripping a chunk of flesh from it, and spit it out on the ground.

Thwei Nikhou'te had never actually eaten a human being, but he used it as a scare tactic and something to knock them off-kilter. Thwei found that most sentient, self-aware beings, had an acute aversion to being eaten, or even thinking that they could be eaten. Humans were the most affected by this simple tactic. Even now, two of the men had bent over to vomit at the sight, believing whole-heartedly that he would make a meal of them if given a chance. This was too simple. Thwei couldn't suppress a chuckle. The two men who weren't emptying their stomachs had raised their guns and opened fire. Thwei raised the dead body, using it as a shield, and ran towards the two men, full tilt. He was on them in a flash. He used the body as a battering ram, knocking over one man, and running his wrist blades through him. The heat of the bullets piercing his hide, pissed him off. The one shooting would have to die slow. He tossed a smart disc at the two sick ones, cutting them in half. One left. He stood up, growling menacingly as the empty clicks of the gun stood out against the sudden silence.

"What will you do now, zabin?" Thwei asked, knowing well that the human could not understand. He dropped the gun, and tried to back away. In two great strides. Thwei had him by the throat, held off the ground to be face-to-face. It soiled itself, and the smell mixed with the powerful odor of its fear and extreme anxiety, was almost too much even for Thwei. Humans gave off a strong, peculiar scent upon impending death. Extending his wrist blades, Thwei buried them slowly into the man's guts, then drug them painfully upwards until he reached and then pierced his heart. The hot entrails flopped to the ground at his feet, and Thwei threw the body a few feet away like so much trash. He roared again, the sound echoing through the night. The sound of an engine rumbling to life, cut short his victory cheering. Thwei turned to see that while he was fighting, the other unarmed humans had loaded to small number of eggs into a lesser vehicle and was halfway out of the pavilion. Not on his watch. The elder aligned the shot, and the truck all but disintegrated in a flash of blue light. Replacing his mask, and making sure he'd gathered all his weapons, Thwei went to check the wreckage for any sign of life. The humans were dead, and to his relief so were the eggs, charred in the blast. He then made his way to the entrance where they had been extracting the hard meats. It was very dark, and even going through all his visual modes, did not reveal anything. Even so, Thwei sent the small drone down into the dark depths. A few minutes later, it returned with nothing. No life, no hard meats, no traces. He was relieved but disturbed. If there was now no sign of the kiande amedha, where were they getting them? Why hadn't that blast destroyed them all? As he tried to determine his next move, he thought about those eggs. Hard meats were durable, and the same went for the eggs. He'd seen them survive blasts if they were far enough away, or protected by something. In fact, it was not unheard of for certain eggs to be located in more protected, or armored parts of the nest. Typically, eggs which held royal face-huggers were kept nearest the queen, and were more difficult to get rid of. So, now the question begged of whether or not a queen had survived. The gravity of how bad this infestation could potentially be, didn't escape him. He wondered how Kujhade was doing. He figured he would secure this area thoroughly before trying to lend his assistance elsewhere.

[][][][][]

Marcus stood up on the rooftop of the warehouse. He heard the approach of armored Humvees before he saw their lights coming up the street. He knew they were patrolling some of the worst neighborhoods, but this wasn't a patrol. He went to the stairwell from the roof, back into the living space. He wasn't surprised to find that Mike was already sitting up, fully coherent.

"I saw some trucks-"

"I know. I hear 'em. Get everybody up. Get your guns and your bag, and let's go," Mike ordered. He got up, waking Alexa from her sleep as well. Astro was up quickly, and they all got busy gathering their things.

"What the hell do they want?" Alexa asked, as she grabbed her combi-stick and strapped it to her back.

"I don't know, but it can't be good. How the hell did they find out we were here, is what I wanna know," Mike said, as he finished collecting all their valuables. He couldn't hide the fact that anyone had ever been there, but he could take all that he needed.

Within five minutes, they were headed towards the rear entrance. As soon as they slid the large door to the side, a blinding white light greeted them.

"Hello, Ms. Woods. We thought we might find you in the gutter with the rest of the trash. Drop your weapons, and come with us. All except you Ms. Woods. You keep your very special weapon. We'll accept it as a gift, if you don't mind," a disembodied voice called from one of the vehicles.

The small group looked at one another. After the blinding lights wore off, they realized there were only two Humvees. Alexa smiled.

"If you want my "very special weapon", why don't you come down here and ask me nicely?" She said mockingly. From her right, Astro opened fire, spraying the Humvees, and providing surprise cover fire as the rest of his group retreated back inside. Laughing, he backed his way back into the warehouse as well.

"What the fuck were you thinking?!" Mike demanded of a laughing Astro. He shrugged.

"We either go with them and die slow, or stay here and fight and maybe kill the living shit out of these dudes. I say kill the shit out of 'em," he said excitedly.

Marcus shook his head, smiling broadly.

"Crazy ass white boy," he said, receiving an elbow for his words.

"Crazy ass black dude," Astro shot back, the two young men, trying to straighten it up after getting a death glare from both Mike and Alexa.

"Now what are we doing soldier?" Alexa asked Mike. He looked at each of them, as a smile slowly formed on his face.

"Kill the shit out of 'em."

* * *

 **A/N: Hope you all liked this. Action is getting started, but I want to give each character their time to shine. First up was the Elder. I wanted to present him for what he was. Didn't become an elder by struggling to kill a few humans, so I intended them not to be much of a challenge to him. How did they get eggs from that blast? All shall be revealed, although that's not a super deep subplot. Whose hunt are you looking more forward to reading about? I sort of want to see Mar'cte in action since I haven't written him much in this story. Interested to see Kujhade in full hunting mode too. Who do you think should fight the queen, or should it be a joint effort? Leave your comments, likes and faves!**

 **The guest who left a review talking about Jasmine hitting up a store... you KNOW you read my mind on that one! What kind of woman would she be, if she didn't think to do that while on Earth? I got you!**


	21. Infested: The Arbitrator

Good thing the warehouse doors were a strong corrugated metal. Not exactly bulletproof, but at least they weren't shooting armor piercing rounds. From a covered upper turret, which was really nothing more than a lift with a platform, facing a cut-out in the wall, Marcus was stationed. There was one on each side, and Mike was stationed at the other. Alexa and Astro had taken cover behind some large metal crates, positioned away from the large doors, which were currently being shot at. Mike only had two pair of night-vision goggles, so had to give them to the best marksmen. Mike didn't have a sniper rifle in his small arsenal, but he did have two sub-machine guns, and they were putting them to good use.

All jokes aside, Marcus was not in a laughing mood. The large "W" on the sides of the vehicle did nothing but give him the green light to kill them. All employees, especially the militant ones, were fair game for killing. In his mind, they had captured or killed Jasmine, so they should be dead. Before all this, Marcus had never seriously considered killing anyone. He thought about it in passing when it came to his mother and father, but had never truly considered or planned it out. It frightened him that it had come easily to him. He felt little remorse over the act. He also felt an extreme surge in aggression since being administered their little serum. It couldn't all be attributed to that though. Seriously, if he thought about it, didn't he walk around in a perpetual state of anger anyway? All the pent-up frustration, anger, hurt, helplessness, all rolled into the mind and heart of a sixteen-year-old boy. A boy who only wanted to go to school, maybe be a UFC fighter, and who wanted his sister back. So, since all those things resided within him, Marcus decided to use it to his advantage. These people would hurt like he was hurting. Their families would feel loss, like he felt loss, and like those families of the people they kidnapped and killed and used felt loss. They thought maybe they would use him too. Create a weapon. He supposed they had done it at least a little bit. He could see better, he was more muscular, he was taller, he was stronger, and he was secretly proud that certain other "parts" were much larger also.

Marcus stopped sort of mindlessly spraying the armored trucks. There was ample ammunition, but it wasn't endless. No need to waste bullets. He breathed out slowly, got a firmer grip on the gun, and took more careful aim. First, the drivers. Marcus took out both. The gunmen were next. The Humvees had small gun turrets mounted on the back in a small tailgate. Just enough room for a single person to perch behind it, and spray. Mike couldn't get the best aim on them, but with his superior eyesight and steady hand, Marcus took it easy. He took another deep breath and let it out, then he squeezed the trigger again. The gun erupted in a short burst of rounds, and the man at the gun turret fell over the back of the vehicle into the gravel below. One more to go. Marcus trained the gun upon him. Now, the gunman was aiming a little higher to where he thought Marcus' shots were coming from. No time to take it slow. Marcus was not behind any real cover whenever he was taking a shot, and a good spray would get him anyway. He took the shot quickly, cutting the man down before he could get a good bead on their position. It was suddenly rather quiet, as the staccato of the big guns were quieted.

"Astro, Lex, go! Go!" Mike called. The window was small. Marcus kept a spray around the gun turrets to prevent anyone else from taking up that position. Hurriedly, the two rushed from behind cover over to the large sliding doors.

"They're coming out! Keep the woman alive!" they heard one of the men yell.

Astro was the better shot of the two, so Lex pulled the door enough to create a crack big enough to shoot through.

"Come get some bitcheeeeess!" Astro yelled and opened fire. The spray wasn't as wild as his laughing would have led one to believe. In fact, he was pretty accurate, but then again you couldn't help but be accurate at such close range. One down, then another. Lex opened fire, as an all-out shootout ensued. She noticed Astro was bleeding on his arm, apparently having been shot, but there was nothing to be done about it at this point.

Mike decided that it was time to end this. He paused shooting to survey his small arsenal. He had ten grenades, and four canisters of tear gas. The men were armored, but they had come light, and not at all prepared for a full assault. He thought about the grenades, but then thought about the Humvees. They could use a vehicle like that, especially considering the state of the city. They had been relegated to making quick runs for short distances, and had quickly learned to steer clear of anything that even remotely resembled police or military personnel. So, tear gas it was. He had just enough gas masks for the four of them. Taking the canister and popping the pin like a regular grenade, Mike tossed it out of his little murder-hole.

"Fall back! Fucking tear gas!" One of them men yelled, as he stopped shooting in order to cover his eyes and mouth.

"Let's go!" Mike yelled as he gathered his ammunition and placed it into his duffel bag, and hopped down from the perch.

They all gathered around and put on the gas masks.

"Kill all of them. We take one truck and destroy the other," Mike ordered, as they all moved out into the gas fog. The men had stopped shooting, but were staggering around blindly, trying desperately not to succumb to the gas.

The small group had donned their gas masks, and headed out together. They were each holding on to the person in front of them. Lex had replaced her gun with her spear and thrust it into the chest of the first man she'd found stumbling in the fog. Mike had gotten out his pistol, and delivered a headshot to the next man. Marcus opted for bear hands, and one of the last men stumbled towards him, weapon drawn and aimed at him. A few clicks let Marcus know the gun was empty. In a flash of sudden rage, Marcus grabbed the man and snapped his neck. He fell in a crumpled heap. Meanwhile, Mike tossed a grenade into one truck and they all hopped into the other.

"Go, go, go!" Astro urged to Mike who had jumped into the driver's seat. They peeled off in a hurry, only getting halfway down the service road leading to the warehouse rear entrance before they heard the muted sound of a Humvee exploding behind them.

"Where're we headed now Mike?" Alexa asked as he accelerated through the streets.

"We have to see what's actually happening. The FEMA camps were setup in Queens, and the Bronx. We're closer to Queens, so that's where we're headed," he answered.

"Okay, but why?" She queried, afraid of the answer. He shrugged and glanced over to her. Her face was pinched with worry. He was about to answer before they had to slow down. There was no traffic, but the streets were littered with large pieces of debris.

"It's like a war zone," Astro commented as they all looked on in astonishment. The closer they got to the encampments in Queens, the more destruction they saw. Buildings were on fire, stores were looted and destroyed as the rioting had run its course. There were a few people straggling along, randomly picking through the trash for whatever they could find. The small group had been lucky so far. The warehouse had been well-stocked with MREs, water, canned goods, and weapons.

"Tell me about it," Mike finally replied. "I was in L.A during the Rodney King riot in the 90s. It looked just like this. Afghanistan doesn't look much different, I can tell you that," Mike said. Marcus just shook his head.

"This isn't all riot damage," Alexa commented. She pointed at the blackened exterior of a large apartment building.

"I see it. Why the hell would they be shooting at a residential building like that?" He asked quietly, as he peered through the passenger side window to get a better look. The building seemed completely abandoned. It was pitch black inside, and half destroyed. The few people straggling along the street, gave the building a wide berth, going so far as to cross the street, all while casting fearful glances back at it.

Alexa looked at Mike with wide eyes, then looked back at the building as they slowly passed it.

"Mike? You think, you think those damn demons were way out here?" She asked, again fearful of his response.

"I can't think of any other reason, Lex. This was a fire-fight. They were trying to kill something here. Keep your eyes peeled everybody," he called out to everyone, and tried to find a clearer route towards the encampment.

[][][][][]

Bishop scowled at what he saw. His hands were still in his pockets, as he peered upwards towards to ceiling of the empty one-story office building they had setup as a command center.

"Cut them down, now," he commanded, as he turned around to see his lieutenant. The man was clearly shaken, but doing an admirable job of holding it together. It was clear he'd never seen anything quite like the sight of three of his best men, hung upside down and skinned like deer.

"Sir, we have reason to believe that who-whatever did this, is still at large. I haven't allowed the rest of my men to see this, but I have put them on notice. One more thing, sir. We've found the main hive, but we don't have the manpower to overtake it. Any special instructions?" The lieutenant asked.

"Watch your collective asses. Oh, and welcome our insectoid guests," Bishop said, clapping the man on his shoulder before moving off.

"Sir? Welcome them how?" the man asked, not liking the blank stare he was receiving.

"How else lieutenant? Introduce them to the wide world above," Bishop said, spreading his arms wide to emphasize his point, and smiling grimly. "Give the hunter something to hunt," he added, and left the man to contemplate the repercussions of that.

[][][][][]

Kujhade's hunt had led him here rather than underground. They'd found his calling card, and were now alerted. Good. He trilled quietly to himself, as he perched on the roof, looking through the skylight. He watched the humans go back and forth, rushing about in a state of not-quite-panic. By his count, there were no less than thirty armed humans here. He'd overheard the order given, but could not completely decipher it. He gave his gauntlet a few taps and sent the sound clip to Jasmine. He then scanned the building again, his blood running hot with the prospect of the challenge. Assaulting a human stronghold was one thing he hadn't done before. He usually relied on more stealthy methods, only going for more direct attacks as the hunt reached its climactic end. He had been watching their patterns for a short while. There were a lot of humans here, but killing the first three had been easy. They had not been expecting him at all, and he'd killed them, skinned them, and collected their spines before they could set off an alarm. However, now that he'd announced himself, he needed to be careful. The space was confined and did not lend itself to stealth maneuvering or camouflage. Once he entered it and began to kill these humans, he would have little room to flank or protect himself. He could withstand a lot of gunfire before he fell, but why take unnecessary injury? After all, there were still kiande amedha to hunt, and if he'd heard right, they were going to unleash them among the human population.

He watched and listened as the man spoke into a device, and began to gather a few men to himself. Kujhade's instincts told him to follow this man, as he would lead him straight to the hard meats, and there Kujhade could kill them all in one fell swoop. The men took off in a large armed and armored transport, and Kujhade followed close behind. If a human in top physical condition could reach a speed of at least 25-30m.p.h at a dead sprint, then a yautja in top condition, could sustain speeds anywhere between 45-50m.p.h. Lucky for Kujhade, the vehicle couldn't travel that fast. It picked its way east of encampment, then turned in a more southerly direction. Kujhade kept them in his sights, keeping good pace over the rooftop terrain. The humans built their dwellings closely, and so it was easy to leap from one structure to the next.

Before long, they reached a tall building which seemed devoid of any human or other life. Kujhade perched on the edge of a rooftop just across the street from this building, and watched. He scanned the area, and found exactly what the men were looking for. The building itself was infested with kiande amedha. The signs of their nest were all over the interior. He watched as the men cautiously exited the vehicle, weapons at the ready. They wouldn't make it. Kiande amedha were most active at night where they could scarcely be seen or detected until it was too late. As he scanned, Kujhade could see them pouring up from the depths of the structure, to enter the street level. In complete silence, they flanked the doomed men. They were of large number, and as Kujhade watched the drones prepare for the assault, the magnitude of this infestation dawned on him. He was sure that this was not the only nest. It didn't have a queen inside it, or else the attack would have been even swifter than this. Quickly, he scanned his immediate surroundings, not wanting to be ambushed himself. There was nothing. Apparently, he had not been detected but his cover was about to be blown momentarily.

The ten-man-team split up into two groups of five. They each went to either side of the building, unaware that they were being watched, and about to be attacked. They would provide a good distraction for the hard meats. Kujhade plotted his course. As with the brief trek here, the rooftops were close and there was ample space to maneuver however he needed. The sudden report of gunfire erupted below as the hard meats began their attack. There were so many. Kujhade engaged both plasma cannons, one rigged to each shoulder. The blue pulse blistered the pavement below, obliterating an entire flank of hard meats. The cries of those still alive, rent the air. One in particular was a little larger than the others, although not a queen. Kujhade had seen plenty of these. They operated like field generals in the absence of a queen, and they were a little more self-aware than the average drone. Most of the men were torn apart, but two were hanging on and fighting valiantly. Kujhade growled to himself. Perhaps they would prove worthy prey if they survived this attack. He decided not to kill them in the process, and focus his gunfire only on the hard meats.

The leading drone raised its sloping black head, and seemed to sniff the air around it. It inclined towards where Kujhade's shots were coming from, and gave three short cries. A contingent of them, at least thirty all turned their heads in his direction. He was instantly on the move, intending to keep off the ground for as long as possible. He leaped to another rooftop, shooting again so that it was coming from a different direction. Another few bleats sounded off below, and he saw another group head off in the direction of the encampment. He had no time to warn Jasmine. He dismissed it. She was blooded, she had hunted them victoriously, she would survive it. His biggest concern were all the hard meats coming at him. They weren't fooled by his tactic, and they had begun to climb the edifice of the building to get to him. He would need to get rid of as many as possible before he had to resort to close quarter combat. From the perch above, he shot at them, clearing a few only to have them immediately replaced. The dead ones fell to the ground in black, burned heaps, but that was hardly a deterrent.

Furiously shrieking, the thinned group made it to the rooftop. Kujhade looked around. The platform was crowded with structures to hide behind, or get trapped behind depending on how savvy or stupid you were. He still needed to find a way to bottleneck them, but wasn't sure he'd find that here. Backing up towards the edge of the roof he was standing on, Kujhade continued to fire upon the group. They were falling each time one of his guns discharged, so now there were perhaps a good twenty left standing. From his belt, Kujhade grabbed two handfuls of small grenade type devices and threw them into the crowd. They were no bigger than marbles, but they exploded on contact. One or two did no damage, but in handfuls they could offer a pretty good bang. The amount he'd thrown was enough to produce a concussive blast strong enough to knock half of them back down to the ground. It also gave him time to produce his smart disc. He launched it, letting it cut through a few like a hot knife through butter. Their collective acidic blood burned through the roof, making the bodies fall through, but also compromising the structural integrity of it. Kujhade leaped to a higher platform and took aim again, with the smart disc, burning his fingertips a little in the process. The disc cut a few more down, and then became embedded within the bricks clear across the other side. The wrist blades made their appearance, extending from a gauntlet on each arm. He roared loudly as they leaped their way to his small 10x10 plateau. He was surrounded as they clambered over one another to get to him. He needed to clear them quickly, so he went to work. Kujhade caught a tail swing aimed at his head, and cut the tip in one swipe. It went crazy, knocking down the one next it in a flurry of shrieks, claws, and blood splatter. He used the tail end to stab another through the head, one jumped on his back, sending its inner jaws towards his throat and just missing the mark, as Kujhade grabbed it, throwing it down. He stomped it on the throat with the full weight of his booted foot, crushing it. Another jumped him from the front, knocking Kujhade on his back. It tore and scratched at his facemask, unable to penetrate it. The others killed the one on top of him, with multiple tail stabs. The result was its blood dripping onto Kujhade who was caught underneath. Feeling the sting and burn, Kujhade used the dead hard meat he was holding as a shield-turned-battering ram. He jumped to his feet before they could pile on, and took a running leap off the platform to the damaged roof below. There was a gaping hole where the previous hard meat bodies had burned through. As he fell through the six-story structure, Kujhade twisted his body midair, knowing that they had all leaped after him. His twin guns charged, and let off a few deadly rounds. The remaining bodies fell all around him in charred chunks. He turned again, and reached for anything he could find as purchase to stop his fall before he hit the bottom. He found it in the form of an exposed water pipe. Kujhade grabbed hold, breaking his fall just barely, as the pipe groaned under his weight. He managed to climb up on what was left of the floor.

Outside, he could hear the humans still putting up a fight, or at least one of them was. Kujhade gained his footing and went to one of the windows, preparing to climb out of it. Below, his scan only detected the last human survivor, who was using some of his dead companions as a shield, and trying to make it back to the vehicle they'd arrived in. He doubted this human would survive much longer in such a dire situation. Kujhade turned his attention away. It was of no concern to him whether the man lived or died. The more pressing matter, was the location of the leading drone. There were many still left, but no sign of the de facto leader. Kujhade's hackles raised. Hard meats were known to be one of the best ambush predators of all the species they liked to hunt. He needed to get to stable ground and do so quickly. He climbed out of the window and scaled the building, reaching the rooftop again. He then leaped across an alleyway to the fire escape of a nearby apartment building and scaled down. He opened fire immediately, clearing wide swaths of hard meats before they had a chance to attack or disperse. The humans had done a fair amount of damage before being killed, especially the last man. Kujhade got out his whip, and began to finish clearing out hard meats. They were vicious as usual, but had decent organization which told Kujhade that the leader was still around.

He withstood combined attacks, as they attempted to encircle him. He gave one swing with his whip, managing to cut down all the aliens in front up him, cutting them into pieces. This was why the T'yverion whip was his favorite. It was more flexible than the combi-stick, and was excellent for clearing a group. He set both cannons to turret mode as well, taking care of the ones behind him. He had nearly cleared them all, but he couldn't be sure. Now, there were stragglers only, which he was obliged to kill, but found himself suddenly lifted off his feet, and flying through the air. He landed hard on his side, turning quickly to see what the hell had happened. There was the leader, shrieking viciously, long black tail lashing dangerously behind it. It had rammed into him from behind like a tank. It seemed to have also forced the remaining hard meats to back off. Kujhade grunted. So, it wanted to fight one-on-one? Fine. Kujhade got to his feet quickly, but refused to divest himself of a single weapon. These things were barely sentient on their own, let alone have some sense of honor one way or another. He did however, turn off his double cannons on favor of the whip which was still in his hand. He crouched, spread his arms and roared. The hard meat, screeched and came barreling towards him. Kujhade stood his ground, lashing the whip and growling. He tried to use it to trip the hard meat, but it leaped to the side. It tried to counter by stabbing at Kujhade's face with the end of its tail, but Kujhade batted it away. Not wasting any time posturing, Kujhade went right back in with another attack. This time aiming at its chest area. It feinted to the side, entwining its tail with Kujhade's whip. It attempted to pull the hunter towards itself, but he was prepared for that. Kujhade wrapped the whip around his arm a few times, accepting the bite of its blades digging into his skin. With all his strength, Kujhade gave several hard yanks. It screeched, as it tore the asphalt in the attempt to find purchase with its claws. The whip dug into Kujhade's arm as he pulled relentlessly. He charged one cannon. Finally, it stopped fighting being pulled back, and turned to attack. It jumped, inner jaws extended for the final blow. With reflexes honed over cycles upon cycles of hunting, Kujhade grabbed the inner mouth. It scratched and squirmed, cutting Kujhade on his stomach, causing his blood to run down his front. Growling loudly, Kujhade aimed his charged cannon down its throat, releasing a full blast, exploding and cauterizing it from the inside. With a disgusted gesture, Kujhade flung the little piece of inner jaw still in his hand. He then turned his cannon upon the few hard meats left alive, roaring in triumph as the last one fell.

He took a quick glance at his injuries, then grunted in dismissal. Nothing that wouldn't heal on its own. He took a small drone of his own and sent it inside the building all the hard meats had come from. While he awaited its return, he made his way to the last remaining human. He was breathing, but that wouldn't last long. Just on a cursory scan, his wounds were too severe to survive, not to mention parts of his legs and arms were burned down to the bone from the acidic blood. Kujhade knelt down next to the man. After a quick survey, it seemed the man had taken more than a few with him. An honorable death regardless of any other circumstance. Kujhade's only regret was not having the pleasure of hunting and killing this man himself. The small drone reported an empty nest. No queen and no eggs. This was simply a nest made due to sheer numbers. Either way, he would need to destroy the place to keep it from being used again by them.

"Who… who are…you?" The man struggled to say with his last breath. Kujhade looked down at the dying man. He allowed the mask to decipher the words. He understood the simple inquiry. Humans in general did not deserve to know the names of the hunters who killed them. Even so, it did not seem right to deny the fallen warrior some response.

"Cetanu," he answered and ended the man's misery with a snap of his neck. He then stood and looked back towards the direction of the human camp. A group had headed in that direction, and he needed to get back there. So, with a couple of leaps and a short scale up a brick wall, Kujhade made it back to the rooftops and sprinted towards his prey, and his mate.

* * *

 **A/N: Thought you weren't going to get an update didn't you? Well, I hope you liked it. Up next is our girl Jasmine. Or shall I go back to Mar'cte and Nanku? Maybe both for the next chapter. These final battles might extend over more chapters than I originally anticipated. That's not a bad thing necessarily. Just means I'll be taking my time to write the fight scenes in even more detail. These are just the first few skirmishes, so there's a lot coming even if there aren't a lot of chapters to go. Thanks for all you guy's support. I really appreciate it.**


	22. Infested: Population Control

Jasmine had followed the security guards back to their base. They'd passed two checkpoints, and she cleared each after the guards had already checked in then left. There had only been three guards at each place. She thought she would have had a bigger problem killing humans, but not when it came to Weyland-Yutani goons. Through eavesdropping, she found out that the army and the National Guard troops had been sent away, replaced by Weyland's men. The few legitimate soldiers which remained had been sent to patrol the cities alongside the police. Fewer and fewer were returning, as the aliens, which they had called Xenomorphs, had nearly completely infested the residential areas.

This information did nothing but create a deeper level of hatred for these scumbags. They had knowingly and purposely captured these Xenomorphs, bred them, and were now setting them among the unsuspecting public. Men, women, and children would die all over the city. No, all over the world. If this corrupt company thought these monsters could be contained, they were beyond stupid. This had to end, tonight if possible, and if that meant killing them off, then so be it. All she had to do, was recall her time in the shuttle that brought her to the Yautja clanship. They had taken her away from Earth, and thrown her in a world where she could have easily been killed without a second thought. Most of all, they had separated her from the one person whom she loved maybe more than herself; Marcus. He had better not be dead, but if he was, every blade stroke would be to avenge the loss.

Now that she was here, she realized they were scrambling around as if they were preparing for some imminent attack. Kujhade. He must've come through and did his thing. It seemed the rooftops were popular tonight, as she found herself perched in nearly the exact same place, and peering through the same skylight as Kujhade had been just a little while before. He must've been drawn off or distracted, because he'd been here, but had left these people alive. Her hackles raised at the thought that there was something which could tear him away from the information goldmine that this base had to be. As she looked around at the functioning satellites in full operation along the rooftop, she became even more unsettled. He'd not only left these people alive, he'd left things unfinished completely. Well, she thought to herself, she would just have to do cleanup duty and then rub it in his face later.

 _If there is a later.._

She shook off that thought, and continued to survey. It looked like they were trying to beef up security, but she was determined not to allow it. Quickly, Jasmine turned to her wrist gauntlet, and cycled through the settings. With a few strokes, she found the signal jammer, and engaged it. Within a few minutes, she heard the explicative laden rants of soldiers now unable to communicate, and had not the slightest idea why. Still cloaked, Jasmine crept over to the doorway that led to the roof. At the sound of heavy footfall, she extended her wrist blades and waited. Soon enough, a soldier came bursting through, weapon drawn and cursing under his breath. It was quick, and he was taken by such utter surprise that he didn't get a chance to scream. Stunned, the man looked down at a pair of twin blades protruding from his chest.

"Shhh, just let it happen," Jasmine whispered in his ear as she slid a slender hand underneath his chin. She couldn't see his eyes behind the visor he was wearing, but she guessed they had to be just about falling out of his head. Jasmine then gripped under his chin, and snapped his neck.

She didn't let him fall noisily to the floor, but instead cradled him down as if he were only sleeping. Hooking her arms underneath his, and lacing her hands across his chest, Jasmine dragged him away from the door. She then recovered his sidearm, which was a lot less cumbersome than the small assault weapon he carried. Patting the man down, she was disappointed to find that he had no silencer on his person. She left him behind an exhaust fan after having removed his bulletproof vest. Kujhade and the rest could take a lickin' and keep on tickin', but a bullet to her abdomen would likely kill her, so over her other armor, Jasmine strapped on the vest, and then took up position back at the skylight. It gave her a good look into the building, and it was also facing the roof's entrance. Placing the sidearm on her hip for now, Jasmine took out her bow and readied it. Switching to another vision mode, she could see their heat signatures perfectly. It was still a little bothersome to see things in infrared, but it was one of only a few vision modes which allowed her to see through walls also. The men below had gotten into formation, trying to protect all the entrances and exits to the area. This made them stationary, and shooting them in the dark would be literally like shooting fish in a barrel. Jasmine lined up a perfect shot. She nocked her arrow, and took out the first two most heavily armed at the front door.

"Up on the roof! Shoot!" One of the men shouted. Jasmine lay flat, as the bullets whizzed by her head. Hearing them shuffle and run to take up new positions, she army-crawled to the next skylight, and shot a few men there as well, managing to down three before they realized what was going on again. Now, she heard the rush of soldiers coming up to the rooftop. She ran to the doorway before the first few men could burst through, and got on top of the small shed-like structure right above the door. They came barreling through, spreading out with their weapons drawn, trying to pinpoint the predator they believed was still hunting them.

"Hey, Nelson's down!" One of the men shouted to the others. They all gathered around, perhaps five in all. There were others inside, and Jasmine would need to find her way in as well. But first, these guys had to be taken care of. Still cloaked, Jasmine stood up straight, and extended her wrist blades. The men were pretty much just below her. In deadly silence, Jasmine jumped down in the middle of the small group, driving her blades through the throats of two men, downing them.

"What the?!" One man shouted, as Jasmine felt four shots hit her chest and stomach. Good thing she had the Kevlar on. She turned and hacked off the hand of one of the men, the fingers still managing to squeeze off a shot in the dark. She twisted around on the same man, jumping on his back, and driving the blades through the top of his skull, slicing easily through his headgear. The man dropped to his knees, as Jasmine pinned the other two with a snarl on her lips.

"What the fuck are you?" One of the last two men managed. His eyes read complete confusion at what he was seeing.

"Is it a girl or…?" He stammered. The other man didn't seem interested one way or another, as he raised the muzzle of his gun, ready to squeeze the trigger.

"I don't give two fucking shorts and curlies _what_ she is. All I know is.." he was about to say, but the sentence ended in gurgles. The soldier looked at his comrade, before his head fell off his shoulders, landing in a dull thump on the rooftop. The smart disc wrenched its way from the stump of his neck with a squelch, and returned to Jasmine's outstretched hand. She casually replaced it into her holster, and turned her attention to the last man standing. The man chuckled nervously, and lowered his gun slowly to the ground. One hand up in surrender, and his eyes glued to her mask.

"Yeah, you're a girl. Dangerous maybe, but a girl," the man said. Jasmine stood silently watching him. She didn't know what his issue was. Did he think she was going to arrest him or some shit? He stood back up, his hands in the air.

"I'm not gonna fight you. I just wanna live, so please don't kill me. I just wanna know one thing. Was it you, killed my best friend and skinned him alive like a fuckin' animal?" He asked. He was talking, but Jasmine was barely listening. It was a distraction, and a weak one at that. He was inching towards her, his hands steadily lowering as he did so. He was a fool if he thought she thought he was unarmed just because he put his gun down. Jasmine then focused on what he'd asked. Some men had been skinned alive, and he was wondering if she was behind it. Kujhade had left his signature it would seem. The image of him pulling the spine from a man's back, played vividly in her mind. It was on a video feed then, but the impact was still strong. He'd told her before that he had no intention of striking humans from his list of viable preys, and as usual, he kept strictly to his word.

She realized, not without at least a little amusement, that she'd been standing there watching the man with her head titled to one side. Her plaits spilled over her shoulder, giving the man momentary pause. She was of much slighter stature than normal predators, but then again, he recalled no such time where they'd ever seen a female, and this one was definitely female. He was about ninety-five percent sure she was human, but that head tilt was a dead giveaway that she might not have been. It wasn't until she spoke, that he seemed to relax a little more.

"I didn't kill them," Jasmine said, her voice as calm and as sweet as it had ever been. She watched his shoulders relax. "That would be my husband you're thinking about. He would've loved to skin your friend alive and hang him by his balls," she said. His shoulders went back up. Jasmine watched the man knit his brow in confusion, but as it quickly dawned on him on the implications of 'husband', his face screwed in complete disgust.

"You're a dead bitch! I'm gonna enjoy killing you slow," he said. Jasmine removed her bow from her back, and dropped her spear, getting into a defensive stance. He produced a huge hunting knife, worthy of Rambo, and circled her a little, stepping over the dead bodies. Jasmine simply turned in her spot, keeping him in front of her at all times. He was heavily armored, but it was nothing the wrist blades couldn't penetrate. It occurred to her in this moment how woefully unprepared mankind was before the technology and hunting prowess of the yautja. It also drove home the magnanimity of the yautja race, for having not simply erased mankind from the face of the universe. She almost felt a sort of sadness for the man in front of her. Killing him would be simple. Two years of being hit, kicked, cut, threatened, and punched into shape by her yautja trainers had more than prepared her for anything this man was capable of doing. As before with the chiva, the thrill of the hunt ran hot in her veins, and it chilled her that she felt it facing a human, the same as she did facing Xenomorphs. Last but not least, it did not escape her that the last few thoughts would not have been rational two years ago, but on this night, it was perfectly rational, logical, and sane.

Jasmine rushed forward, tackling the man to the ground, with her head in his chest, and her arms seemingly wrapped around his middle. He stabbed her between the shoulder blades, but ran into her armor. The blade of the knife kept breaking, every time he struck her with it. He quickly realized he was being cut open, as she dragged the blades upwards along his sides.

"Ah! FUCKING BITCH!" He screamed, as he pulled a sidearm, and tried to blow Jasmine's brains clear to the other side of New York. She twisted her blades, while simultaneously head butting his wrist as he squeezed off the shot right next to her ear. The mask could not completely take the sting from the ringing of her ears. He kneed her the best he could, resorting to anything that might get her off, but the hits didn't bother her.

Had the last two years of her life not happened the way it had, she would have never tried this, let alone survived a life-or-death fight with a trained soldier. As it stood, one of Kujhade's playful training smacks hurt a hell of a lot worse than this. Not to mention the unspeakable regimen that Dteinou had ground into every fiber of her being. Having a little yautja blood running through you didn't hurt either, as the speed and strength increase she had received, only now became evident when faced against another human being. Jasmine snatched the blades from the soldier's body, nearly eviscerating him in the process, and quickly cut off one of his limbs at the forearm. She watched as his eyes rolled to the back of his head, in complete shock. Kneeling over the dying man, Jasmine felt a brief pang of guilt. On this night, in what had to be late spring on the east coast, she had officially become a murderer. She had only seconds to acknowledge, absorb, and accept that as a fact, and then move on from it. In blind panic, and in the grips of death, the soldier began to cry. Not sobs, just silent tears as he searched around for any weapon that he could use to avenge his own death. Jasmine made herself look into the man's eyes, capturing his attention. He stopped searching for something, seeming to come to terms with his death, but he set his jaw. Jasmine could certainly respect that. He wasn't going to beg and cry for his life, and she felt he was the more honorable for it. Almost as an act of benevolence, Jasmine quickly slit his throat, ending his life before he could suffer more. She may have been married to a predator, but she was not one, so taking the usual trophies was out of the question. However, she did take what she thought of as "bootleg" dog tags, from around his neck and pocket them. She took two fingers, and closed his eyes for him, and stood up straight.

The entire rooftop scuffle took no more than five or ten minutes all told. The backup generators had kicked on, so some power had been restored. Jasmine was about to cut that off as well, when she heard sudden commotion coming from the general camp just a city block away. The sound was unmistakable. Screaming, shrieking, the sounds of general terror, and not far behind; gunshots. Jasmine thought better of cutting the lights then. Nothing but hard meats could be responsible for the sudden outbreak of violence and death. The lights would be necessary to see the already difficult to spot creatures. The building below her emptied, as orders were barked and vehicles fired up and got rolling. Jasmine gave a quick check to her map, to see if she could locate Kujhade. She saw him moving towards her position. He would be there in a few minutes, but every second counted where it concerned Xenomorphs. She could not wait. She decided to cloak and follow the soldiers. She was suddenly grateful that Kujhade had not killed the entire outfit of men. Now, they could be used as ad hoc fire support for the ensuing battle. Cloaking, Jasmine made her way silently down, and hopped a ride on the top of a Humvee. She didn't have time to check Kujhade's position, but knew she really didn't have to. He would come directly to the middle of the mayhem when he caught up.

* * *

Mar'cte and Nanku chittered to themselves quietly. They'd traveled a short distance, and had run upon soldiers stationed in the sewers. The signs of a hard meat nest were everywhere, and Mar'cte suspected this to be the seat of power. He had no evidence of it yet, but the number of humans stationed here, gave credence to the hunch. Currently, he and Nanku were perched on pipes running along the ceiling of the sewer tunnel. It was a very large tunnel, with a ceiling which had to be no less than fifteen feet, maybe a little more. Lights were set up along the walls, stretching for at least two city blocks. Mar'cte had sent another one of his little probes down to get a full map of the system. Up ahead, the tunnel turned into a large cross-section with other tunnel openings branching off in all other directions. All along the tunnel, the soldiers were stationed behind shields, in staggered formation along the walls, as if they were waiting on something to happen. Mar'cte and Nanku decided that it didn't matter what they were waiting on. The humans were here, and more importantly, the hard meats were here, and that was the only thing that truly mattered. In complete silence, the two predators dropped from the pipes above, only a few yards behind the first waiting group of soldiers. They were only in little groups of two or three huddled together. Easy pickings.

Nanku bristled with anticipation, but knew that this was not the time to go in, guns blazing. Once they'd scoped the scene, Mar'cte warned her that she had better not blow the stealth portion of this. She had agreed willingly enough, although she was itching to blow everything to bits. Nanku took point first, sneaking up behind the small group. They were completely unaware of her presence until she quickly dispatched them. One twin blade to the back of each skull. She lowered them down. Just a slight way ahead, Mar'cte had done much the same. They both had covered about half the number of men, before one of the soldiers turned in time to see three men, fall to their death in utter stillness.

"What the…?" One man started, but was cut off by a combi-stick running through both his own chest, and the chests of the two other men behind him. Having been discovered, Nanku couldn't wait to decloak, doing so while running to retrieve her combi-stick from the dead men.

"We got that pred on our six!" One man said. Opening fire on Nanku, who answered with a restricting net which crushed the gun, then sliced through the man. Mar'cte chose that precise moment to also make his presence known, giving a nice roar to announce their arrival.

"There's fucking two of 'em?!"

"Fire at will!"

The shots echoed through the hollow tunnel, as they both cloaked themselves once again, dealing death with terrible efficiency. Two shuriken a piece flew unseen through the air, cutting heads off, and torsos in half. Mar'cte killed the lights, increasing the scent of anxiety and terror that he loved so much. From a distance, both predators could hear the distinct screeching of hard meats. Apparently, the humans had done something to get them riled up, although why they had done it was a mystery. Truly, Jasmine had to be a wonder of intelligence among them, if these were supposed to be the smart humans.

The soldiers were shooting wildly in total panic. Nanku was hit, and so was Mar'cte but neither of them felt much pain behind it. However, they were starting to find their mark more often than not, and Nanku had had enough. She stopped and let loose a barrage of shots from her plasma canon, getting rid of the last remaining humans.

"You could not restrain yourself could you, young blood?" Mar'cte asked playfully, as he sidled up next to her to survey the death and destruction which lay before them.

"No, I could not, but there are hard meats. Can you hear them?" She asked, starting forward, with Mar'cte close behind.

"Yes, young blood. The humans are stupid. They have gone deeper into the nest. The hard meats will kill them, but they must have a reason," he said, and began to trot towards the sound of growing chaos.

Once they arrived at the cross section, the hard meat nest stretched in all directions. Mar'cte chanced to lift his mask from his face. The air filter was fine, but he always trusted his own sense of smell when tracking difficult prey. To his amusement, Nanku had mimicked him, taking off her own mask, and taking a big whiff. At the same time, they both zeroed in on a specific direction.

"Can you detect it young blood? The nest scent is most concentrated there. Can you tell me what that means?" He asked, springing a pop quiz on her. She rose to the occasion.

"The queen and her brood of eggs is there. Let's go!" She said, trying to rush off in the direction of the most difficult challenge. Despite her reckless nature, he couldn't help but be proud of her eagerness to take the hardest path. The only thing she needed to learn, was that the human saying that Jasmine taught him was true in certain cases; 'sometimes, you gotta work smarter, not harder'. Nanku would either learn it or die for her rash decisions.

"Wait, young blood," Mar'cte said, gripping her arm. "This is the queen's nest. Do you not believe the number of drones would be highest here? Or, that she would have guards? Think, unless you wish to meet the Black Hunter early for your stupidity," he admonished. She grumbled, but took the lesson.

"Watch and learn," he said, the smugness in his voice unmistakable. He produced a handful of flat, disc shaped gadgets, about twenty in all. He handed her half. Nanku watched intently. She also noticed that the earlier screaming and chaos from the humans had died out completely. They'd been killed. Mar'cte turned away from the path that most likely led to the queen's chambers and began to head down one of the other tunnels. Every few yards, he would throw one against the wall where it would stick. When he was done, he came back to her, and she watched as he programmed them. In the tunnel, the little discs glowed red, then set up a grid of lasers filling the tunnel from ceiling to floor. Without being asked, she took to the other tunnel and did the same.

Mar'cte suddenly bellowed out a tremendous roar, and replaced his mask, readying his weapons as well. Nanku followed suit. It didn't take long before droves of hard meats came spilling into those two tunnels. As soon as they ran into the lasers, they were cut to pieces by them. Nanku trilled in delight at the simplicity and effectiveness of the devices.

"I knew you would like that young blood. Now, be ready. This will not stop all of them, and we may need to exit to fight in a different place," Mar'cte said, charging his plasma canons and discharging it a few times for those that were making it past the lasers. Some of them had managed to figure out there were devices as the source.

Nanku began to back up down the hall they had come from. There was an outlet to the street not too far behind them. Feeling her behind him, and understanding instinctively what she was doing, Mar'cte took lead. These hard meats seemed a bit savvier than he remembered them being, but then again, the intelligence of a hive depended solely on the intelligence of the queen running them. They had figured out to destroy the devices to get through unharmed. He roared viciously as the first few tore out of the tunnels, shrieking and enraged. They were extremely vicious and unconcerned with their own death toll, which proved to Mar'cte that they had indeed run into the main nest. Drones nearest the queen's nest were always deadlier and more relentless than drones found anywhere else.

Nanku had just happened to be looking upwards for the manhole they could go through, when she saw a few drones peeking out from corridors above them. Ones she had barely noticed before. Roaring, she began to shoot all that she saw. She nailed a few, but a couple were able to jump down on her anyway. Nanku was a whirlwind with her combi-stick, keeping them off her and off Mar'cte's back. She pierced two at a time, recalling her recent chiva and the pure adrenaline she felt when she made her kills. Too bad she couldn't take a bunch of trophies from this fight. Meanwhile, Mar'cte was fighting furiously, as they were crowding in quickly.

"We won't get to that opening hunt master!" Nanku said, after downing three more hard meats. They had begun to swarm around the potential exit, attempting to block it from the predators. From deep within the bowels of the tunnels, they both heard the high-pitched warbling of the queen, shrieking orders to her brood. Mar'cte knew this would be a fool's hunt to stay here. They needed more space and a higher vantage point.

"Make a way out!" He yelled. Obediently, Nanku shot upwards. It took three blasts to make a sizable enough hole. Immediately, hard meats swarmed out of it and onto the street among the humans.

"Nanku! Jump!" He ordered, then pushed her forward. She stepped back two paces, then sprung up towards the hole she'd made, easily. With no time to figure out what Mar'cte was going to do, Nanku went to work killing the hard meats still making their way out.

The screams and panic happened instantly, and passed like a wave of terror over the population. Black demons from the very pits of hell descended upon them like a living tsunami. Men, women, and children were all victims of aliens that Weyland-Yutani had set upon them. Without mercy or compunction, or thought, they tore through the horrified people, picking through them effortlessly. Like a flock of birds, the whole group of people moved seemingly as one, headed towards the checkpoints that were working to keep them hemmed in. Not to mention the other six-foot hell beast that appeared alongside them. Not caring anymore about stealth and secrecy, Nanku was killing anything not walking upright. She suddenly felt the whiz of bullets near her head, and turned to face her new assailants. Soldiers. She was wroth with them. Who would unleash these foul creatures among their own kind? With a growl already in her throat, she blew up the first vehicle in the small convoy, making it pop high into the air in a ball of smoke and fire. Another flash of blue light that didn't come from her, made her turn to see Mar'cte next to her. He ran to find a higher ground, and she went in the other direction to do the same.

* * *

Mike and the rest, pulled up near the checkpoint gate just in time to hear and see a huge explosion. The sounds of commotion, running, and shooting had all four of them up in arms.

"What the hell is going on Mike?" Alexa asked.

"The shit sounds like it's currently hitting the fan," he answered.

"Why are we just sitting here? Let's go in," Marcus complained, but Mike just shook his head.

"Patience," he said. Then inched up towards the security booth. The checkpoint wasn't maximum security or anything. It really only consisted of a security booth where an officer should have been, and a guard tower to the left, reminiscent of a prison yard but with less barbed wire.

The booth and the tower looked freshly abandoned. Shouts and gunfire could be heard in the distance. Deciding to just welcome themselves, Mike drove through the flimsy gate, and tried to circle the area where all the commotion was coming from. They started seeing stragglers, who seemed to be running for their very lives. A few of them slammed into the Humvee which was going very slowly. The looks in their eyes shook Mike to his core. He wasn't even sure these people were necessarily aware of their surroundings. They were just running away.

"Mike, watch out!" Alexa shouted, grabbing the wheel herself and jerking it hard to the right. They narrowly missed a group of children.

"Shit! I didn't even see them!" Mike explained, looking apologetically at Lex.

"The shitstorm is coming from that way son," Astro said, pointing towards the ball of black and orange fuel billowing into the air.

Everyone paused when they all heard a loud, terrifying roar cut through the air. Alexa's eyes went even wider than before. She, more than any of them, recognized that very distinctive sound.

"Predator" she whispered, more to herself than anyone else. They all nodded.

"No shit. Who the hell called them to the party?" Mike asked rhetorically. Alexa shook her head, fighting back the fear welling up in her mind, and in her very bones. It was the pyramid all over again. She prayed not to ever have to live through that again, but here it was, live and uncut.

"They came on their own, just like Bouvet Island. They're here because of the serpents… Xenomorphs. Mike, they're hunting them," she said, her eyes glassy. He could clearly see the horror there. He grabbed her hand and squeezed it in his own. He nodded stiffly, and set his jaw.

"Then we gonna hunt 'em too. C'mon," Mike said, putting the vehicle back in gear and got going again. A few blocks later, the roar was heard again. It was quickly followed by a cacophony of screams, as a wave of people came crashing towards them in a stampede. Marcus watched in horror as they were literally trampling over one another to escape. A spotlight from above caught them all by surprise, and even made the stampeding group stop in their tracks. Upturned faces, with their hands waving in the air, as if they were stranded on an island and needed to be rescued, looked towards helicopters. They began to scream for help, and jump up and down believing their saviors had come.

The Humvee was moving before anyone knew anything. Mike was driving like a bat out of hell, heading for a nearby underpass. It was just in time. From where they had stopped, the group of people were clearly visible. For many nights, they would all wish that is had not been clear at all. From the rear, they could see the Xenomorphs plowing through the people at an astonishing rate. From above, the helicopter, which Mike realized was a gunship, opened indiscriminate fire over the entire crowd.

Tears filled all of their eyes, as they watched men, women, and little children be mowed down by the hail of bullets from the gunship. They were ripped limb from limb as the armor piercing calibers tore through them and serpents alike. Those who were trying to escape that fate, ran into Xenomorphs and were torn apart or hauled off alive. Mike exited the vehicle and motioned to Marcus that he wanted to take point on the gun mounted to the Humvee. Marcus took the driver's seat, and felt Alexa grab his hand and squeeze it hard.

Mike took position behind the big gun, making sure it had been loaded and that the ammo was accessible. With both hands, he grabbed hold of the triggers and waited, hoping like hell he wouldn't have to use it. He tried not to recall similar scenes of the deadly firefights he took part of in the war before being sent on a stupid mission to try to capture a predator. The hairs on the back of his neck stood on end, as he turned himself and the gun, around behind him. At first, he saw nothing, but then there was the slightest movement from the corner of his eye. Reverting to only reflexes and training, Mike opened fire. The screech was closer than he liked, as the thing fell forward.

"Go! Go! Go!" Mike screamed, slamming the roof of the vehicle with his hand. Marcus didn't waste time. He peeled off quickly, not caring where he was going, but trying to stay away from the general mayhem taking place. He could feel the vibration of the gun, as Mike was shooting steadily at whatever was chasing them.

[][][][][]

Kujhade had already made it back to Jasmine when he received Mar'cte's distress signal. Jasmine's gauntlet came to life as well with the report. He didn't want to, but he had to answer the call. His first priority as a clan leader was the protection of his clan members. The hard meats weren't going anywhere.

"Jasmine! Come!" He growled out, angry that he would need to leave a job unfinished, but also knowing that if Mar'cte was signaling, that the situation was dire for him and Nanku.

Jasmine's feet were moving with him as he grabbed her by the waist, leaping to the rooftop with her in his arms. Her ears were trained towards the sound of an incoming helicopter. Her eyes were wide with horror, as she watched the group of hard meats began to overtake the soldiers attacking them, and the innocent people as well. They were simply tearing them apart, and the soldiers were killing just as wantonly as the aliens. As they made their way across the encampment towards the south, and towards Queens, the helicopter arrived. At first, Jasmine allowed herself to believe, if only for a moment, that they had come to help. When they opened fire on the whole group, she knew the only hope these people had was her and her clan.

She'd been running behind Kujhade, now that they had taken to the roofs, but she stopped short. No way she could leave it like this.

"Jasmine!" He called from behind her. She watched as a second gunship made an appearance. It was closest to her, and therefore became her target. She charged up her plasma cannon, and opened fire on its heaviest setting. The chopper went down in flaming pieces. She was about to shoot the other one, when she felt a strong arm around her waist, snatching her up again.

"We must go!" He bellowed and carried her away.

'Stop! STOP!" She yelled, beating on his back to grab his attention. He growled irritatingly at her. He didn't have time for this.

"We have no time for this Jasmine," he tried to explain. He was on the verge of knocking her out and just stashing her somewhere.

"This rooftop shit isn't going to cut it, and I can't run from here to Queens. Come with me," she instructed, and jumped down the fire escape to an alley below. Reluctantly, Kujhade followed, completely unsure of what plan she was cooking up, and not liking the delay.

Jasmine prowled from car to car, looking for one that could reasonably fit an eight-foot predator inside, and still have a suspension system. Finally, she found something suitable. It wasn't all that new, but it wasn't old and it looked sturdy. She found a Jeep Wrangler, with the removable top and doors.

"Kujhade! We got a ride!" She called to a skeptical Kujhade. Jasmine jumped in the driver side, and tried to find the wires underneath the steering column. Street shit finally came in handy, she thought to herself. It took her a few more minutes than it used to, but she finally was able to hotwire it. It came to life, and when she saw it was a manual, she grateful to have learned how to drive stick before. She looked at Kujhade and patted the seat next to her.

"Hop in sexy. We gotta get to Mar'cte," she said, and watched him toss his dreads from side to side.

"M-di" he said simply.

"Kujhade, get your big ass in this damn car! I had to deal with spaceships and shit for two damn years, so you gonna get in this muthafuckin car, and I don't wanna hear any shit behind it," she commanded. He perked up, and she could tell he wanted to smile, but he said nothing. Like a little kid who didn't know what to expect, he took short steps to the impossibly small transport. Gingerly, he stepped inside, being careful of his head. Not finding head room, he angrily tore the roof off it. That was a little better. Grumbling the whole time, he finally settled into the seat, and stared straightforward.

"Now, it's been a minute since I drove, so it might be a little funny at first, but you'll make it," she said, and pulled off in a jerky motion. It stalled, as she got off the clutch too soon.

"Sorry about that. We gonna try that one more time," she quipped, and started it again. This time, she got going without stalling. Within the first ten minutes, she was a pro again, and driving the streets of her city once again gave her a crushing feeling of nostalgia, despite the broken down condition it was in. She sped down the streets, remembering all the shortcuts. They would be there soon, and she just hoped they could save at least some of the people.

* * *

 **A/N: Why is she posting on a Monday you might ask? Well, anxiety. I suffer from it, and it gets pretty bad when I am unable to meet my weekly upload goals. Yes, the goal is self-imposed, but still. Whenever my work is not ready as it nears the weekend, I spaz all the way out... badly. So, what that means, is that from now on, I will be posting haphazardly. Whenever the hell I finish these chapters they're going up, whether that's early or late. I have to release myself from the unspoken obligation, because it is turning my writing into a chore, and my anxiety is tied to my story now. I don't want that. I like writing and i like this story, and I want to keep it an enjoyable experience. I will NOT abandon the story, of course. I love these stories and I strive to make them as precious to you as they are to me. We're nearing the end of this one, so like, I'm not gonna stretch it out where you're waiting 2 months for me to write an anti-climactic ass ending to piss you off.**

 **P.S Armedcadaver, thanks so much for the compliment. That makes me all warm and fuzzy to hear that you like these characters so much. I hope you have enjoyed this chapter too :)**

 **Thanks to all my readers, reviewers, favoriters, and followers. Love you all!**


	23. Infested: Daybreak

It was time to scrap the whole fucking thing. It had all turned into a major clusterfuck, and it was time to end the experiment and start over somehow. If starting over meant clearing out the entire city of New York of every man, woman, child, and Xenomorph, then so be it. Bishop didn't give two shits about the human death toll. In the grand scheme of things, the people didn't matter at all. It would be viewed as a great tragedy in United States history, sure, but the biggest loss was the alien specimen. The destruction of the two facilities had set everything back a great deal as far as research went, but it wasn't all lost. If they could salvage live specimens from this debacle, they could transport them to some other facility. The concept of testing the function, weaponization, and control of the Xenomorph through remote means, upon a live and unsuspecting population was very appealing. He knew he would do it again. In fact, he was now quite obsessed with the idea, but New York was a bust.

He now stood within a mobile command center on the edge of the Q1 FEMA camp. From the monitors, he could see the carnage. Everything was as expected except the presence of more than a single predator. That raised his eyebrow. Never, since they'd first realized this alien species existed, had they known more than one to be active at one time. Now there were two that he knew of. One of them had skinned three men alive as a calling card.

There were only five other men inside the command center with him. Two were monitoring the action, and keeping the lines of communication open between the command center and the gunships. Simultaneously, they were also working to keep the Pentagon out of the loop, and not sending any F-16s to find out what was happening. He knew it couldn't be hidden for long, but he needed time to figure out a good cover story that would keep the feds off his ass long enough for him to work and think. He was really counting on the people in government, who worked solely in the interest of Weyland-Yutani, to help keep things as quiet as possible.

"Sir, we've got activity through the west gate. Vehicle is ours, but this doesn't look like Mitchell and his crew," one of the soldiers manning the computer said.

"Focus on the task at hand, Kravitz. Probably one of the gangs, trying to raid for supplies and food," Bishop replied. He hadn't bothered to even turn around to address Kravitz, but the man cleared his throat to gain Bishop's attention. Bishop made a show of turning his entire body towards the man. Kravtiz blanched, but recovered quickly.

"Sir, the facial recognition at the west gate captured these images. We believe these are the escapees, sir," Kravitz said, pointing out the small group. Bishop looked closely, as his mouth turned into a thin line.

"I see," he said, taking one last look at the video capture, and turned towards the door.

"Ms. Woods and her cohorts believe they can run around this city and make a fool of me," he was muttering to himself, as he opened a small cache of guns, and armed himself.

"Kravitz, you and Holtz keep up the good work. Let me know if anything changes, and keep trying to get a track on the predators. We can make use of them also if we're able to capture one alive, but that's not our first priority," Bishop said, making his way to leave the mobile command center.

"Boss, how do you want us to proceed?" One of the guards asked. Bishop shook his head, and clapped the man on his shoulder.

"Stay here and make sure this command center is still standing no matter what. I'm going to pay a personal visit to Ms. Woods and company. All this is their fault, and she's going to pay dearly for all that we've lost here since that damn explosion," Bishop said. He opened the back door of the large vehicle. The acrid smell of smoke, mingled with the scent of gunfire, blood, and the screaming of both humans and Xenomorphs alike, assaulted him. He hesitated briefly, then jumped down, and rushed to his own armored SUV. They had surveillance all over the city, and it was quick work to tap into the still working CCTV feeds. He grinned humorlessly when he found them. They were headed away from the general carnage, with a squad of Xenos right behind them. Bishop started his truck, and got rolling.

Just above the command center, Thwei had been waiting in one of the few scant trees in this area. He'd received the distress signal, which brought him here, and seemingly just in time. He watched in complete silence as the human he'd heard be referred to as Bishop, made his way to a private transport. Thwei instantly got on the move following him. This 'Bishop' seemed to be in charge, as the other humans answered and reported to him. Perhaps some type of clan leader. This made him Thwei's number one target. If he'd learned nothing else in all these years, he'd learned that destroying the clan leader, substantially weakened the clan, and made it ripe for the picking. It was obvious to him, that this particular group of humans was largely responsible for the outbreak of hard meats here. The symbols and Bishop himself, were all too familiar. It puzzled Thwei, honestly, because according to the chiva recording, his son Sk'var, had killed this man at the pyramid. How he could now be here, was a mystery, but ultimately unimportant. He would die again, if Thwei had anything to say about it, for it was his doing that brought the hard meats here, Thwei was certain of it. Humans were stupid in their arrogance, this much he'd figured out a long time ago. He recalled that the humans at the pyramid had stolen the weapons, no doubt intending to discover their function, and uncover the secret of the technology. Why would they not then set about trying to study and experiment with the hard meats? They were only now realizing just how foolish it was to allow hard meats to flourish. Even the yautja took all precaution when breeding for chivas, so how much more ill-prepared were the humans for this task?

Thwei followed closely, keeping up high so as not to attract the attention of the hard meats below, and thus reveal his position. The human was going away from battle; coward. The hard meats were thinning out as they moved from the center of the camp to its outer edges. The vehicle weaved about in the streets, dodging people and other cars. It dipped in and out of side streets and alleyways, before meandering back to the main road. Thwei recognized this flanking tactic. Up ahead, the Elder spotted a vehicle moving determinedly back towards the thick of the fight. Bishop must have been able to see this movement also, for he began to move towards the other vehicle at an angle, presumably to cut them off up ahead. Thwei readied himself. He had a feeling this Bishop human was more prone to running than fighting, and his window to kill this dishonorable human would be small and fleeting. The other issue, was not needing to be distracted by a million hard meats, when the focus needed to be on a single target. If Bishop got too close to the mayhem, Thwei would have to force him to stop.

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As soon as Jasmine pulled into the gates nearest Mar'cte's position, Kujhade jumped out of the still moving Jeep, landed on his feet and began running towards his hunt brother. Jasmine didn't bother stopping the car. The main issue as far as she was concerned were the three gunships hovering in the air, and still mowing down anything that moved. What once was a moving sea of humanity, was now a growing valley of corpses, human and alien alike. The humans were dead meat, but the Xenomorphs just kept on living. They had taken as many humans as they could, and the rest had found hiding places back underground, and in other places which were difficult for the gunships to reach. Regardless of the reason they were there, the helicopters needed to be taken out. Jasmine stashed the Jeep next to a midrise apartment building. The power was out, so the elevator was not an option. The fire escape was available, but it would take too long to climb it and a helicopter might be out of reach. Valuable seconds were ticking away as she stood there deciding what to do. In order to get a clear line of sight to shoot them down with the cannon, she would have to climb high atop a building. That took time and was an ineffective way to go about it. Inside her bio-mask, Jasmine bit her lip nervously, watching and listening to avoid a hard meat sneak attack. Then the idea struck her so hard, she could almost see the light bulb appear over her head. Eventually, she would have to become accustomed to the level of technology literally at her fingertips. She was in a unique position of having a better working knowledge of human tech. Her yautjan counterparts simply regarded human technological levels to be rudimentary at best, and tended to give it no more thought than that. While that might have been true by comparison, the predators still couldn't claim to understand how it worked, and thus could not always make the connection with how their own technology could be used most effectively in relation to it. The choppers, just like all newer vehicles, were run by computer, and thus could be shut down or disabled from a distance. Jasmine was no genius, but she had not survived thus far by not being crafty and creative. Not to mention, she'd watched enough sci-fi movies to know that there was usually some signal somewhere that could be jammed. Her wrist gauntlet didn't work off network towers, but most radio signals on Earth did, and the higher up she went, the more this was likely to work. Without any more indecision, she began to climb the fire escape on the nearest apartment building.

She'd gotten about halfway up when she saw something in her periphery. The plasma cannon on her shoulder swiveled into position, and fired. A shriek was cut short as the Xeno fell from the side of the building down to the ground below. Jasmine was on full alert. That thing has slithered its way along the side of the building, and for a second, she'd forgotten they were like little roaches; able to crawl on anything even upside down. She managed not to run into any others, but knew better than to believe the coast was clear. Where there was one there were always others. For all she knew, this very building was infested with them. Finally, Jasmine made it to the rooftop. With no time to waste, she opened her wrist gauntlet. Kujhade had explained in detail to her nearly all the functions of this device, which were a great many. Not the least of which the ability to nullify all signals. He had no human word for it, but Jasmine understood it to work like an EMP strike. If she had learned nothing else from Hollywood, it was that EMPs were devastating to all electronics and computers. She could only hope it worked like she thought it would, because if not, she got the distinct feeling she'd be fucked if it didn't.

The symbol for it was characterized by a glowing sphere suddenly going dark. Close enough. Jasmine readied it. It began to countdown in those strange yautjan numbers. She was pleasantly surprised that she could recognize them. In ten seconds, she would see what this thing was made of. As it counted down, the hairs on the back of her neck stood perfectly on end, and a weird feeling coursed through her very bones. She had only seconds to think absently that this is what it must feel like to be electrocuted, before it erupted in a silent flash, then, nothing? The gauntlet went dark and dormant as if it had done nothing. The feeling of being electrified did not abate, but nothing seemed to change. Jasmine couldn't help a small frown twist her pretty face, then there it was. When she first landed, the partial outage made the city seem much darker than she ever remembered. Now, the darkness was utterly obscure. She had to adjust her bio-mask vision to see properly. The helicopters seemed to hover before nosediving to the ground. The fireballs were horribly spectacular, but it was now eerily quiet without the stutter of heavy gunfire.

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It took Bishop a moment to realize that the SUV was slowing down. He had to look down to make sure he hadn't hit the brakes. He leaned on the accelerator, but the vehicle didn't respond.

"What the fuck!" He exclaimed. Bishop hit the brakes and got out. He'd managed to step one foot to the ground, his gun ready for any Xenomorphs, before the sound of a large crash made him snap his head in the direction he had just come.

"No," he whispered to himself as he realized what happened, what _had_ to have happened. He looked at the dashboard of the SUV and realized it was black. As he looked around, he realized _everything_ had gone black. Only one thing caused that, and only one "being" would have the audacity to use it; a damn EMP and no doubt a predator behind its deployment. Bishop watched as the helicopters fell out of the sky one by one.

"Shit," he muttered as he looked around. He reached into the vehicle to retrieve all of his weapons, double checked the ammo for his guns, and began moving in the direction of the Humvee which would also be down. They were sitting ducks, ripe for the killing. He would need to hurry before the remaining Xenomorphs made quick work of them. Bishop, looked towards the horizon. In the East, the thinnest lines of dawn were making there very first appearance in the sky. Soon, the xenomorph population would go into hiding. The sunlight was the only natural weakness they seemed to possess. At first, they at the Welyland-Yutani labs, believed them to simply prefer the night for stealth reasons, but they soon realized that UV light and the increased heat from the sun in warmer months, was a detriment to them. They could survive daylight if they needed to, but their senses seemed to be less keen, and they disoriented easily during the day. With those thoughts in mind, Bishop began to make his way to the small group of escapees at a trot.

"Young bloods," Thwei muttered to himself, shaking his dreads slightly from side to side. Underneath his bio-mask, he was grinning. One of Kujhade's young clan had deployed a weapon that the yautja race had named Dhi'ki-de. If the meaning were to be understood by humans, it would most likely translate into unconsciousness, going out or going down. So named, for the way it shuts down any energy source and the items run by it.

His earlier mirth quickly fading, Thwei watched his quarry make its way steadily towards the other small group of humans. Inwardly, he wondered why this Bishop human should be so interested in that group. If for nothing but the sheer petty joy of it, Thwei would make it his business to stop Bishop from reaching his goal. If he was after that group, then perhaps that group was valuable in some way, and if that was the case, then he needed to be cut off from anything which might be of value to him. For all Thwei knew, they were all together so no reason to allow them to regroup.

The elder followed his prey much closer this time now that all the lights were gone. The sounds of chaos also hid his approach. He chanced to come down to ground level as he got closer to Bishop, now no more than one or two city blocks behind him and closing the distance quickly. Still cloaked, Thwei landed silently behind Bishop, who was still going at a steady trot towards the disabled Humvee which had to be a few blocks up the street and around a corner or two. The sound of the big machine gun mounted on the back cut through the din of bloodshed. Thwei's steps were sure and silent, as he crept up behind Bishop. He readied his short spears, one in each hand. Fifteen feet, ten, six. His grip tightened as he fought hard not alert his prey to his presence with a few quiet clicks. It was always satisfying to alert them at the penultimate moment before their inevitable deaths. Four feet behind, Thwei decloaked and raised his weapon to strike. Unexpectedly, Bishop whirled around with his gun raised and squeezed off four shots point blank into Thwei's face.

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Nanku had backed herself quite purposely into a dead end. She didn't know what sort of structure she was in, but it had held up admirably. Through the narrow doorway, only two or three hard meats could worm their way in to where she was holed up. Once they were in she had to kill them quickly. It was filled with rows and rows of strange human items that she couldn't have identified even under pain of death. The front wall was made of some sort of resilient material which the hard meats constantly used their bodies as a battering ram against. Going to high ground once they were out of the underground lair, hadn't helped. This area of the human planet had only sparse vegetation, and the trees had not served her as well as they would have had this been a jungle. All in all, the young female was very out of her depth given the environment, but she was holding her ground solidly. Mar'cte was nowhere near her, and she hadn't the time to check his position. It was tedious, standing there and skewering them with her combi-stick. No sooner than she killed one or two, there were one or two to instantly take their place. They were becoming more frenzied in their effort to get inside. She could hear them scrambling along the rooftop trying to find a way in. She had no way to know that this structure, which was just a convenience store at a gas station, was far from a fortification. It was highly vulnerable especially considering the craftiness of her prey. As she was killing them, what little light illuminating the place suddenly died. Good thing her mask was unaffected. The hard meats seemed to hiss in the pleasure of now being sunk into impenetrable darkness.

With a snarl in her throat, Nanku finished off a few more, using the pile of dead carcasses to choke off the entrance. She backed away slowly, deciding not to use her plasma cannon unless absolutely necessary. She scanned the open area, looking for anything that could be used as a sort of shield. She spotted a row of what appeared to be cold storage containers. Keeping her eyes on the doorway, she crossed over the slick linoleum over to the freezers. After a cursory inspection, she ripped one of the thick glass doors off its hinges. It had a handhold, but it was awkwardly over to one side instead of being in the middle. Thinking fast, Nanku ripped the handle along with the plastic edge off the door. Looking around again, she decided to rip another handle just in case she needed it. Nanku then reached into her medi-kit and removed a liquid bandage. It was viscous and extremely sticky, and was designed to act as a bond for wounds where stitches would take too long, or otherwise not be practical. With no time to use the small spatula tool for the liquid, Nanku simply used her fingers to spread a coat of the substance over the glass, and attach both the handles. It took a few seconds to set, as she sat squatted by the freezers, watching and listening. They'd gone quiet, a little too quiet. Nanku's hackles raised. Only while planning something, did this prey become silent. Time was ticking. She tested her makeshift shield by trying to pry the handle off the glass. It was alright for now, but it would not last.

She slowly rose to her feet and positioned the shield in front of her, as she made her way back towards the counter. The door was just about her height, and she had looped her arm through both handles, gripping the last like a Phalanx tall shield. She'd made note of the way Jasmine had done a similar thing during the chiva hunt, and was pleased to know that she could use her own version of the technique. Nanku glanced around at the front entrance. Still, there were several hard meats banging themselves against the glass and seeming to be unable to climb over the heap of dead bodies blocking their way. There was something off about the way they were acting. They weren't being aggressive enough. The predator female had no doubt that had they truly wanted to come this way, they could have done so by now and she would be swarmed. She listened closely as she watched them make a show of not being able to get to her. No more skittering on the roof above her. They were quiet and stealthy, but there had been no less than fifty of them to begin with when she backed her way into this place, and she hadn't killed _that_ many. Surely, this was some sort of ambush waiting to happen.

Nanku glanced up, but the setting which allowed her to see the hard meats clearly, did not allow her to see through walls and other dense structures. She readied her weapons, ready to either die in glorious battle, or flank the group outside somehow. Now, she cursed her foolishness. This was not like the cave, and she failed to realize that she could not bottleneck them here, as she had during the chiva. Nanku turned towards the dark area in the back of the store. It was still very quiet. She was just about to investigate when she heard a loud clattering noise come from there. The young female roared as she saw them spill around a corner, and come straight for her. She glanced outside and saw the remaining hard meats, make their way up to the new entrance on the roof. There were considerably less hard meats outside now, and her best chance of survival and possibly to turn the tables lay outside the building. With a roar she ran straight for the door, hard meats hot on her trail. She barreled through the pile of bodies, cutting down the ones still milling around. Nanku quickly turned around, and blasted the roof right over the doorway with her cannon, causing it to collapse. Furious at being trapped in their own ambush, the hard meats screeched and struggled to get out. A few who were still on the rooftop had fallen off, but were up in a flash and already on the attack. Nanku made quick work of them with her combi-stick. She took quite a few injuries, none of them mortal. She was proud of her ingenuity so far, but now what to do with them? She felt around for a few handheld bombs. They would not produce a large enough blast, even if she shot them with the plasma cannon. Nanku began to look around for anything that could be used as an explosive or even an accelerant. Behind her were rows of strange tanks that she couldn't understand the purpose of, however, there seemed to be abundant traces of some liquid all over the ground around them. After pausing to kill off a stray hard meat which had come running around a corner, Nanku knelt down to inspect it. Running her talons through the thin substance, she examined it through her mask settings. It didn't correspond to anything she knew about, except for one chemical component. Their machinery did not run on this particular type of compound, but one of the components was similar to a fuel used to run the equipment in the kitchens. One had to be careful with it, as it burned easily. She was surprised to find anything here on this planet that was even remotely close to the substance, but it was exactly what she needed.

She glanced up at the collapsed structure. They were scratching and clawing their way out of the rubble. Nanku stood and scanned underground, and found reservoirs apparently storing this liquid. She grinned under her mask. She hoped it was as flammable as she assumed it would be. Trotting across the street, Nanku turned around and fired her plasma cannon at the gas pumps. Each one exploded individually, which left the young predator nonplussed. Perhaps the substance was old, or just not what she thought it was. She was contemplating her next move, when suddenly the building seemed to fold in on itself just before exploding in spectacular fashion. She wasn't far enough away as the heat from the fireball threatened to singe her tendrils even from across the street. Fiery bits of metal and brick began to rain down. Nanku stepped back a little further and scanned the wreckage. One or two hard meats had run out, but they were on fire unable to put themselves out. Satisfied that they were now all dead, Nanku consulted her wrist gauntlet to see Mar'cte's position. Spotting him, Nanku made her way in his direction.

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They were back-to-back, clan leader and his faithful right-hand, and they were surrounded. They'd ended up in a parking lot, and all around them were hard meats. Kujhade had no time to pick out a more strategic spot to fight. When he'd gotten to Mar'cte, he was nearly overcome by sheer numbers alone. He was bleeding from everywhere, but still fighting on as if he felt no pain. All that Kujhade had time to consider was that Mar'cte would not fall here on this hunt if he could help it. There was honorable death in a hunt, and there was this. The two of them were a whirlwind of weapons, snarls, and death-dealing. Mar'cte's plasma cannon had gotten lost in the melee, so he was down to the combistick and his wrist blades. Only Kujhade still had his twin cannons, and they hadn't stopped blasting yet. Even now, the ground was slick and crumbling under the excessive amount of hard meat blood being spilled, but they just kept coming. Kujhade's whip was the only thing able to take them out in sweeping arcs, aside from the wrist bomb, which Kujhade was not prepared to engage.

"Brother!" Mar'cte called to Kujhade. He stopped to skewer three hard meats at once, then use them to take out the ones right behind them.

"It seems Cetanu will not be satisfied until we are in his presence!" Mar'cte added, the mirth in his voice evident.

"No brother. As long as I stand, Cetanu will wait another day!" Kujhade replied, managing to wrap his whip around a bony tail, and yank it free from the hard meat's body.

At that moment, the ground underneath their feet rumbled, and in the not-so-far distance, another huge fireball erupted into the sky. The two hunters nearly lost their balance, and for a moment they believed the explosion would give the hard meats the chance to truly overtake them, but something very strange happened at that moment. Two or three hard meats managed to alert the rest, and without warning, rhyme, or reason, they all turned and fled as quickly as possible, scattering in all directions. For as many as there were surrounding the hunters less than a few seconds ago, it was now completely empty. They both looked around, a little confused although neither of them would have admitted to that.

"What in the name of Cetanu just happened?" Mar'cte asked, somewhat bewildered. Kujhade scanned the area, but there was no sign of them. The only thing he saw were the heat signatures of the scant few humans who had managed to hide. Kujhade did not bother dispatching any of them. He saw Nanku in the distance, making all haste towards them. He was glad to see the young blood seemed to have survived, although he would have to take her task about splitting up when the command was to pair off.

"Why did they run clan leader?" She asked as soon as she got close. Kujhade was about to tell her he didn't know, until he looked at the sky. This planet's sun was rising. He pointed towards the dawn.

"Hard meats do not like the day, and this sun is very dangerous to them," he replied. Mar'cte clicked loudly.

"Kujhade, this will be easier than we believed. They will be in their nests, and we can kill them at once," he said excitedly. Kujhade seemed contemplative.

"They will be together, but it will not be easy. They will be near their queen, and if this attack told us anything, is that her hive is much larger than we anticipated. I do not doubt that she will have her guards. We will need a plan before we follow our prey blindly into their very nests," Kujhade said wisely. Mar'cte and Nanku nodded their agreement.

"Brother, your mate is coming this way, but, what is she doing?" Mar'cte asked, pointing towards Jasmine. She was picking her way through all the carnage on a mountain bike. All three hunters stood side-by-side and tilted their heads to the right, all three confused about what mode of transport she was riding.

Jasmine had to walk the bike the rest of the way, careful not to allow the tires to come in contact with the Xenomorph blood. Kujhade growled menacingly and stepped forward.

"If you believe that you will persuade me to ride this, you are mistaken female," he said, his tone serious. Jasmine shook her head.

"It's too little for you anyway. Everybody's alright I see. Where's Thwei and why did the little nasties leave?" She asked. Kujhade explained their weakness to the sun, as she absorbed this new information. He then consulted his tracker to find the Elder. He managed to make the location a 3D image.

"Jasmine, do you know how to get to this place? It is not far, but we may be blocked and need to find another way," he asked. She nodded emphatically.

"I was queen of these streets, I can find my way around blindfolded," she quipped, then looked around at the immense damage and death. She had to turn her head as she spotted the body of a small child riddled with bullets. Jasmine swallowed thickly and tried to concentrate on what to do next.

"Listen, we can get to Elder Thwei, but I warn you, if I see some kids or innocent people who need help, I'm going to stop. You don't have to do it, but then again I don't expect you to," she said to Kujhade. He looked around, seeing only a few people even still alive. He supposed it would be no huge hindrance, but he could not allow her to detour too far from the mission.

"I will not try to stop you, but we will not stray far from each other or this task. You are part of _this_ clan, and it would do well for you to remember that," he said sternly. Behind her mask, she clenched her jaw. Now was not the time to argue. He had begrudgingly accepted her position, so best not to make too many waves.

"Fine. Follow me," she managed, and straddled the bike to pedal off.

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Thwei only stumbled backwards, a little startled that the human had detected him despite his stealth. Did this parasite believe that his primitive weapon could breach his armor? Thwei prayed to Paya that this human was stronger than the rest, because he would thoroughly enjoy killing it slowly. Thwei reached around, and came up with a thunderous backhand, knocking Bishop clear across the street only to land hard on the roof of a car. The gun clattered to the ground. Thwei picked it up and briefly examined it. The mechanism was simple enough. Taking it and pointing it in an arbitrary direction, Thwei emptied the clip then broke it into pieces with his bare hands.

Bishop shook it off and stood to his feet. He had never faced one of these before. The power was like nothing he'd ever experienced. No one had ever been able to best him in a fight, but now Bishop understood that he had met his match. He watched as it emptied the gun and then broke it. No matter. He had others but how effective they would be remained to be seen. He still had the sub-machine gun slung across his body. He brought it up and fired a few shots, but the predator disappeared right before his eyes.

"I can smell you, you fucking freak!" Bishop yelled, and then to prove it, took a huge whiff, and then smiled deviously.

"You think you're so damn smart, don't you? Well, I've got your number you big ugly fuck!" Bishop continued. He stalked around slowly, looking and sniffing in every direction with his weapon at the ready.

It was all very quiet, and nothing seemed to move. The sunlight was starting to lift the veil of darkness, and the true extent of the damage could be seen a little better. He stepped into the middle of the street, still searching for his enemy.

"We've been preparing for you ever since the Bouvet Island fiasco. We've got your kind all figured out. You come here, you hunt and you kill, but you don't like real challenges do you? Don't like to meet your match!" He taunted. In a flash, Bishop turned and opened fire.

Thwei grunted. This was the second time the human had detected his position, and this time the weapon packed a little more punch. It had only grazed him on his ribs, but it was enough to take a little chunk of flesh with it, and cause him to bleed. Perhaps the human wasn't lying through its pathetic teeth. Perhaps, it _could_ smell or sense him somehow? In that case, there was no need to waste time with stealth and cloaking. Finally, a good challenge seemed to have presented itself. Thwei had only been knocked back, but quickly surmised that distance fighting was not to his advantage. This would need to be up close and very, very personal.

The elder growled and swiped at the gun, but Bishop was fast. He jumped back a bit and attempted to open fire again, but Thwei did not intend to get shot again. Instead, as Bishop backpedaled, Thwei took a short leap and landed right in front of the human, grabbing him by the throat. Bishop raised the muzzle of the gun again, aiming for a headshot, but one swipe from Thwei's wrist blade ended that. Bishop howled in pain as he watched his hand with the gun in it, drop to the ground.

"You'll pay for that you fucking bastard!" Bishop sneered, spittle flying everywhere in his rage. He was about to yell out some other insult, but was cut off by an enormous fist to the face.

That felt so satisfying! Thwei punched the human again, and again, marveling that he was still alive after the fourth one. He punched him again, breaking his nose, and one of his eyes was already swollen shut. Bishop only sneered again when Thwei paused the beating, and spit a glop of bloody phlegm on his mask. He then brought up both feet to Thwei's chest and pushed back violently, causing the elder to lose the grip on his throat. Bishop fell onto his back on the hard asphalt, but rolled quickly out of the way of an incoming boot stomp to the chest. He could not, however, get out of the way of the follow-up kick to the ribs which sent him flying again only to land hard upon the concrete once more. The coppery taste of blood filled his mouth and throat, as he tried to stop a coughing jag. His ribs felt like they were on fire, although he doubted they had been broken so easily. The predator was stalking up slowly, apparently trying to intimidate him, but it wouldn't work. Bishop looked around briefly, half his vision cut off by only having one good eye left. The gun! It was only a few feet away. Bishop scrambled as fast as he could to reach it, slipping in Xenomorph blood and feeling it burn through his clothes. His stump bled profusely, leaving a crimson trail behind him. The alien must have seen him going for it, because it ran to grab it up first, but Bishop was a little closer. He fumbled a moment, trying to adjust to a one-handed grip, but that was just enough time for Thwei to kick it out of his hands again. His clawed feet left deep gashes across Bishop's palm and forearm.

Bishop didn't have time to wallow in misery. He rolled away, simultaneously pulling a long dagger from his belt, and made it to his feet. He eyed the predator warily, spitting his mouthful of blood onto the ground.

"Come on, you ugly motherfucker!" Bishop yelled, and then brandished his weapon.

This was excellent. Thwei paced a bit, wondering if he were being baited into some kind of trap. Once he decided that the human was challenging him for real, Thwei accepted it with great anticipation. He stopped pacing and reached for his mask. Carefully, he pulled the hoses free and pulled the mask from his face. Instead of dropping it, he clipped it to his belt. He replaced his twin combisticks, and chose to use his wrist blades as well. In customary yautja fashion, he bellowed a tremendous roar, and began to circle his prey.

Bishop struggled to breathe, his inhales coming in ragged, painful, short bursts. He refused to favor them, opting instead and bare his teeth in answer to the challenge. Despite his grievous injuries, Bishop was still confident in his ability to take down the hunter. If he was to survive, he had to be the one to press the attack. With this in mind, Bishop ran at the elder. The big yautja took a swing, but missed Bishop's head by mere inches as the man ducked, and got behind the alien hunter. He stabbed him several times in quick succession, before Thwei could even turn around. Thwei reached behind him, already too slow as Bishop was now around the front, jabbing the dagger into Thwei's sides and belly as fast as he could.

Thwei had enjoyed this challenge, but now he'd had enough. How dare this pathetic excuse for prey make a real attempt on his life? Anticipating Bishop's next move, Thwei turned his whole body and caught Bishop just before he could deliver another barrage of attacks. He'd grabbed hold of the human's arm and violently twisted his wrist, making him drop the dagger. The bones in Bishop's arm and wrist grated painfully against one another, as he felt them snap and crunch like so many twigs. Thwei grabbed hold of his throat once again and brought his prey face-to-face with him. Bishop's eyes were defiant as he glared into the terrifying countenance of the alien hunter.

"You took away one of ours, now I will take something away from you, zabin!" Thwei sneered.

It was talking to him. The language sounded rough, hostile, and angry. It grated on the ears and the nerves. Bishop screwed up his face in disgust. He thought maybe it was taunting him. He wasn't quite sure, but as usual for his kind, the predator seemed extremely angry. Bishop was about to make some snarky retort until a pain like none he had ever experienced before, tore through his midsection. He looked down at the hunter's hand disappearing inside his body. The pain was exquisite. Unable to fight anymore, Bishop's eyes rolled into the back of his head. Yellow and white ribbons of sunlight stretched beautifully across the sky, unaware of the catastrophe it illuminated below. He felt his body give way, and then darkness covered his eyes.

Thwei tossed the dead body to the side and hoisted the bloody spine and skull above him, roaring in triumph. He strapped it to his back, and then made his way to the small group of humans that Bishop had been following. If they were part of that clan, he would kill them without hesitation. And if not, he would see what needed to be done.

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All along the way, Jasmine had tried to help the scant few people who had hidden away. They were all children, and they were all terrified of her. They ran away before she could even speak, and she thought maybe that was for the best, although it saddened her a little. They saw her as no different than the hunters who were skulking along the rooftops, even when she removed her mask. They had walked another few blocks, as she had to ditch the bike after it succumbed to acid blood on the tires. She'd replaced her mask, scanning the area and not trusting the sudden peace and quiet. Above her, she could hear Kujhade and the others clicking and trilling softly to one another. They all stopped in their tracks at the echo of a roar coming to them from not too far away. Kujhade grunted approval, recognizing Thwei's roar for what it was; a victory.

"We are not far. We must make haste," Kujhade said from above, his deep voice ringing clear in the bright morning air.

On cue, Jasmine began to trot towards the sound. They rounded a corner, and she could hear the faint scrape of wrist blades being unsheathed, including her own. None of them had bothered with any cloaking, so everyone was in full view of everyone else. A Humvee was sitting in the middle of the street with the dead carcasses of Xenomorphs laid all around it. The back of the vehicle was facing her, and a tall, athletically built black man was still stationed behind the machine gun mounted to it. She could see that it only had a small amount of ammunition left. He had made the mistake of aiming the weapon at Kujhade who was the largest of the four, and Kujhade responded in kind with three dots aligning themselves on the forehead of the man. The high-pitched whine of the cannon was loud in the silence of the morning.

The man quickly raised his hands in surrender, realizing that his death was near at hand. Kujhade had not stopped aiming. Jasmine noticed there were people in the vehicle. To her, they did not seem threatening at all. They seemed as if they had just survived the fight of their lives, and were thanking their lucky stars about it.

"Kujhade, lower your weapon," Jasmine said, as the two people tried to exit the vehicle.

"I would move real fucking slow if it were you, and I would not have weapons in my hands, unless you wanna be blown to shit," Jasmine instructed again. Very slowly, a young Caucasian male who was very handsome, and a beautiful black woman got out with their hands up and their eyes wild. As a show of good faith, Jasmine lowered her wrist blades, and asked Kujhade once more to do the same.

"Kujhade, they're not dangerous," she tried, but he wasn't too interested.

"Are you part of the clan who released the hard meats?" He asked. The people looked nervously up at him. They didn't understand a word, and he didn't seem to want to wait patiently for an answer.

"He wants to know if you're with Weyland and if you let these damn things loose," she said, and then answered for them.

"Jhade, these are the people in the feed, the ones who freed the hunter," Jasmine said, and then her heart sank. Marcus was not among the small group, but maybe they knew where he was. Jasmine rushed forward without warning and cornered the tall man, shoving him against the vehicle.

"Where is he?!" She asked, barely containing the emotions. She knew it was not the most gracious way to ask, but she had no time for games, and didn't know if this person was trustworthy or not.

"Where's who?" He asked, seemingly genuinely confused but not quite fearful.

"I will gut you where you fucking stand. He was there with you when you got out of that fucking hell-hole and I wanna know where he is. Talk!" She said, and extended her blades. Kujhade, Mar'cte and Nanku leaped down from the rooftops and growled in unison. Just as Jasmine was about to interrogate the man again, Thwei came waltzing up, bleeding but standing tall. Alexa looked over at the newcomer, and nearly screamed in surprise.

"Listen, I don't know who you're talking about," Mike said again. At her wits ends, Jasmine was about to give him something that would jog his memory, until the other person got out.

Annoyed, she glanced over only to warn this other person not to interfere, but her jaw dropped. Marcus. He was standing there, a vein throbbing in his forehead and his jaw clenched. He looked to be ready to fight and die, as he advanced. For a moment, she was puzzled as to why he was looking at her and the others this way, not even recognizing her, until she remembered. Here she was in full predator regalia, mask and all. How was he to know?

Jasmine immediately let go of Mike and retracted her blades. She turned fully towards him, walking slowly his way. He raised his hands defensively as she got near.

"Don't," she heard the other young man say, but she ignored all others. For her, the world had ceased to exist, and there was no one but him. Hastily, she removed her mask and tossed it to the ground. She wiped the tears from her eyes, and pushed her shaggy hair out of her face.

All at once the world was spinning. Could this really be? In the two years she'd been gone, he had lived like a zombie in a never-ending nightmare. Perhaps, he had already died or something. Marcus' knees buckled, and the sobs burst forth from him as if he were a small child. He wiped the tears with the back of his grimy hands, his shoulders hitching with his ragged breaths.

"Jasmine," he whispered hoarsely, and ran to her, falling to his knees as he did so. He wrapped her in arms that she hadn't recalled being so strong. Jasmine melted to the ground along with him, the two of them racked in wailing sobs, and holding on to each other for dear life.

Jasmine kept grabbing at him frantically, wanting to make sure this was no illusion. On so many nights, she'd wondered what had happened to him, where he was, and what he was doing. Now he was here in her arms, and for the moment nothing else mattered.

"I thought you were dead. I thought you were dead," Marcus cried in between sobs and tears. His head lay in her bosom, not caring about the sweat and blood mingled there. His sister was here, and that was all that he needed. The pain that he had been carrying seemed to lift if only temporarily.

They rocked and cried in the middle of the deserted street for ages. The clan members looked on, perplexed at this sudden outburst of emotion that appeared to have no end.

Finally, the siblings pulled back from each other long enough to look into each other's faces. Each wiping the tears of the other, and trying to not cry again. Marcus, gave her a once over.

"So, now you gotta tell me how the hell did you turn into a damn predator?" He quipped, and just like that, the tears turned into laughter. Jasmine wiped his face, and laid a soft kiss on his forehead as she used to when he was little.

"I'm gonna tell you that, and so much other shit I need to tell you Marcus. I love you though, that's the first thing. I missed you so much every day," she said, her voice wavering with the threat of a fresh bout of tears.

"We can get to that big sis, cause I'm never letting you outta my sight again so get used to it," he said smiling and finally getting to his feet. He helped her up too as they shared one more hug. She then turned to Kujhade and the rest.

"Kujhade, this is my brother Marcus. Marcus, this is Kujhade," she said introducing the two. They eyed each other, with Kujhade giving a disinterested grunt, and tossing his dreads.

"Kujhade, don't be like that," she complained. He chuffed again, and Marcus narrowed his eyes, making a show of stepping away from Jasmine, to give her a suspicious look.

"Jasmine. What's going on here? Why do you want me to speak to old boy so bad?" Marcus asked accusingly, and crossed his arms over his now very muscular chest. She'd have to ask him about that later, but for now, she was in the hot seat it seemed.

"Because," she offered shyly. Marcus never took his eyes off her, silently pressuring her for the answer.

"Because, Kujhade is my…. Husband."

* * *

 **A/N: Reunited and it feels so goooood! Yay! The siblings are together finally! You all waiting a very long time for that, so hopefully I didn't disappoint. The next installment will be the final chapter+epilogue. Quick quiz hotshots, do we want a continuation of this story, or are we tired of these characters? Hopefully, you want to see more of them because I've got plans for them. Love you all, and thanks for sticking with me through my posting drought.**


	24. Infested: Circular

"He's your what?" Marcus asked incredulously. He could see Jasmine become a little shamefaced at the admission. He felt bad that it came out so accusatory, but he couldn't stop the images from forming unbidden in his mind.

"Well, yeah," she answered glancing up at Marcus. She tried not to cry, as she saw the look of disgust pass over his face. It was made worse by the fact that he then tried to hide it. Jasmine avoided eye contact with any of her other fellow humans. She could feel their eyes and their judgement of her, burning a hole into her.

"Husband, as in a committed relationship? Husband, as in you let it smash?" Marcus asked, unable to check the accusatory tone in his voice. Jasmine looked up at him with a familiar look. It was the one that meant that the current topic was no longer up for debate.

"Yes, husband as in we're a couple. As in we love each other. As we're a family, Marcus," she said, her voice going up an octave. She then closed her eyes, and took a calming breath.

"Listen, I know you don't understand Marcus. Trust me, it amazes and frightens me daily, but it's the truth. One day soon, I will explain it in vivid detail, but I don't think we have time right now," she said, and then waited.

Marcus still had his arms crossed, but was now staring at Kujhade who seemed to take offense. He gave a short bark, but when Marcus did not turn away, Kujhade walked over to him in four long strides. Marcus stepped back a little, but otherwise did not back down and didn't look away. A low rumbling growl could be heard clearly coming from Kujhade. To his credit, Marcus still did not back down, managing to square his shoulders although he stood only to Kujhade's chest. He balled his fist and clenched his jaw again. Perhaps he wasn't strong enough to take on what he was coming to think of as "pure breeds", but Marcus had been feeling exceptionally strong all night, and he wasn't feeling any fatigue yet.

Jasmine was impressed by her brother's bravado, but as she had done so many times before, she inserted herself between two aggressive males.

"Kujhade, stop it," she demanded. He glanced down at her briefly, then took a large clawed hand and pushed her effortlessly out of the way.

"Don't touch her!" Marcus yelled and tried to push Kujhade, the latter not even shifting his weight in response.

"Marcus, stop it! It's okay, he's not gonna hurt me!" Jasmine insisted, becoming worried now. Marcus had no idea what he was getting into, and she wasn't completely sure how far Kujhade would take this. He had just gotten done fighting and his blood was still up. This was tremendously dangerous territory, and she had to figure a way to avert a disaster. She jumped between them again, pleading with Kujhade to leave it be, but he didn't seem to be listening. From beneath his mask, he was pinning Marcus with a glare, growling low, and flexing his claws. This was one of the few times she'd really felt how small and insignificant she was by physical comparison. Without acknowledging her presence, Kujhade reached over her to give Marcus a hard shove to the shoulder, sending him butt-first to the ground; a challenge. To the death? A friendly, getting-to-know-my-brother-in-law challenge? Who knew? Incensed, Marcus jumped up, pulling the gun which had been stuffed in his belt and aiming it at Kujhade. This was getting out of hand very quickly, and as the only human here with even a snowball's chance in hell of talking some sense into Kujhade, Jasmine had to stop it, now! With blinding speed, Kujhade had his combi-stick at Marcus' throat, and was still growling.

"Kujhade, that's my brother! Don't you fucking hurt him or you will have to kill me too! Do you hear me?!" She screamed, placing herself in front of the bladed edge of the weapon.

With another move which was hard for the eyes to detect, Kujhade had snatched the gun from Marcus and tossed to the ground with clear disdain.

"Ki'cte!" He warned, grabbing Marcus by the throat, but not lifting him. It was just enough to demonstrate to the smaller human, that he was woefully outmatched and should stop all aggression.

A high-pitched whine cut through the confusion, as Kujhade noticed a target aligning itself on his armored chest. He glared down, to find Jasmine highly upset, and pointing her cannon his way.

"Let him go," Jasmine said, her voice barely above a whisper. He could see she was clearly shaking, and her large hazel eyes were wet with unshed tears. Everything else seemed to freeze in the morning light, as all the humans and yautja stopped to watch. The tension hung heavy in the air, as Kujhade became stark still. Mar'cte and Nanku did not move, as they only waited on Kujhade's commands.

Kujhade released the other male, and reached to grab Jasmine by the waist. With his other hand, he turned to barrel of the cannon away, and brought her very close. She sucked in a breath, not expecting to be pulled in so tightly, or at all.

"Not hurt Jasmine mei'hswei," he rumbled softly half in English to her. Jasmine was still shaking, and looking up at his expressionless mask. Tentatively, she rested her hands on his chest.

"Then stop fucking around," she growled out, gritting her teeth and giving him an angry look. She could hear him clicking for a moment, before his grating laughter eased all the tension. Elder Thwei seemed the most amused at the scene.

"She becomes more and more like our females every rotation, does she not Arbitrator?" the Elder said, rumbling his own laughter. The humans seemed thoroughly perplexed and confused, not knowing what to make of the entire exchange.

"Um, Jasmine, is it? Can we put our hands down now, or..?" Mike asked, not taking his eyes off any of the aliens.

"Yeah, yeah, sure. Just don't reach for any weapons," she warned. Slowly, they all complied. Alexa was too preoccupied with the elder standing in her direct personal space.

He was terrible to behold, even more so than that bitterly cold night on that godforsaken island. As it was then, his mask was unabashedly removed, and he was only staring at her, as if to make sure of her identity. Could it be that he remembered her? Surely, a being such as this couldn't care less about an insignificant _prey_ such as herself, could he?

Lex inhaled sharply, as he reached an enormous, clawed hand and grabbed her face. Slowly, he turned her from side-to-side, as if recalling her. He must have found what he was looking for. When he turned her to the left, the mark which had been seared into her flesh shown prominently. He rumbled, growled? Alexa couldn't tell if he was angry or not, but he made no violent movements. More tenderly than she would have ever thought something like him could be, Thwei grazed the tip of his thumb talon lightly along, tracing the clan symbol. Suddenly, with lightning quick reflexes, he reached down and grabbed her hand. Alexa was terrified. Her whole body tensed, trying to be ready for anything this, _thing,_ might try to do to her.

The large predator engulfed Alexa's small hand into his own, and brought it up to his thorny brow. Her eyes were wide as she watched. Was he going to take a bite out of it or something? Yes, she had been in close quarters before with the younger one, but they had both been too busy to pay this close attention to one another. Now, there was nothing else to do at the very moment, and this alien seemed to know that. She inhaled again as she realized just what he was doing. He had taken her fingers and used them to trace the outline of his own clan mark. The thorns pricked and tickled her, but she dared not snatch away for fear to make him angry. He rubbed her fingers along his crest for several agonizing seconds, before releasing her hand. He stood tall, dwarfing her as he had two years ago. He stared down at her with golden-green eyes, Alexa unable to read his expression. He then beat his fist twice upon his broad chest, and spoke.

"Thwei, eldeeeerr," he spoke, his voice gravelly, and strange. He then pointed a sharp talon at her chest, and seemed to wait.

Alexa stared at him dumbfounded, her mouth working but not making any sound.

"He wants to know your name," Jasmine said from the other side of the vehicle. All the attention had shifted to Thwei and Alexa. Alexa blinked owlishly, as she drew a temporary blank on her own name. This thing had her completely out of sorts, and she couldn't pinpoint just why. Well, maybe that was a lie. About ninety-nine percent was pure unadulterated fear. He was somehow larger than she remembered, and even though he was not wearing that deep crimson cape which had seared itself into her very detailed memory, he was no less regal or intimidating. He exuded the very essence of being in charge, in control, and completely unforgiving of any rebellion or resistance. Looking at him, Alexa suddenly remembered she had been expected to speak.

"Lex, I mean, Alexa. Alexa is my name," she spoke slowly, taking care to pronounce each word and letter carefully. He seemed to think about it, his upper mandible twitching slightly. Suddenly, she became more nervous. Had she offended him somehow? She wanted to look over at Jasmine for any cues or clues, but Alexa dared not look away. It was like a train wreck, only you were involved instead of just watching. Every instinct inside her screamed to flee, get as far away from him as possible, but she stood rooted inexplicably to her spot.

"Lexxxssss," Thwei finally hissed out, then nodded once to himself, as if confirming the name. He seemed about to step out of her personal space, until his strange, sharp eyes landed on the combistick strapped to her back. Was that some sort of happy sound he made? Alexa stepped back a little, clearly startled by the trilling rumble that came from his chest. His eyes seemed to glow. Yeah, he recognized the weapon as the one he'd given her.

Alexa couldn't help feeling an odd sense of accomplishment at having kept the weapon. When he grazed his fingertips along its shaft, she couldn't help but back away until her back was flush with the Humvee. Did he want it back? And if so, was she willing to just give it back without a fight? Instead of becoming angry at her now defensive stance, the alien seemed to become quite amused at it, openly trilling and rumbling again. A sound she was quickly coming to associate with the creature's pleasure as opposed to his anger.

Seeming to have sated his curiosity, at least for now, Thwei abruptly turned his attention towards Kujhade, making his way over, and out of Alexa'a immediate personal space. She inhaled sharply, just now becoming aware that she'd been holding her breath a little. She and Mike traded confused glances, as the humans watched the aliens and their interaction.

"It is now day on this planet arbitrator. What would you have us do, since this is your hunt?" Thwei asked, more out of respect than needing any guidance on the matter.

"While it is day, we may need to lure the queen out rather than meet her within her nest where she is more difficult to kill. She can control the hive, but out in the sun they will be less effective," Kujhade stated, more as a passing thought than a concrete plan of action.

"But if we bring her out here, won't she have more room to get away or run? Seems like if we hem her up in a sewer tunnel she wouldn't have anywhere to go," Jasmine offered. Kujhade seemed to consider it.

"Umm, I don't mean to interrupt the little alien pow-wow we're having, but are they making a plan on how to kill these fucking things? And if so, can we go somewhere to re-up on ammo?" Mike offered boldly, directing the question to Jasmine, who had immediately become the de facto liaison between the people and the predators.

"I don't see why not. Jhade, they wanna go somewhere to get more weapons and make a plan. We're too out in the open here," she told Kujhade, who paused several seconds before grunting an agreement.

"But brother, this is not their hunt. Why should we do anything with them?" Mar'cte offered up. Kujhade seemed to consider the options once more.

"This is true. We have no need to join with humans. If they wish to fight, they will do so on their own," he said, with an air of finality.

"No, no, no, no Kujhade," Jasmine piped up, placing a restraining hand on his arm.

"They can't do it by themselves. They have to come with us if they want to survive, if they wanna win, and they _have_ to win. It's not a hunt for them, for us. It's our world we could be talking about here. We can't just leave it, or do nothing, and in any case, Marcus is coming with me, no if, ands, or buts," Jasmine complained. Once again, he seemed to consider it. She had to admit, he was showing an extreme amount of patience considering the introduction of a new crop of humans, that he was quickly coming to realize he might be stuck with, at least for the duration of the hunt. He stood still for a moment, looking off into the distance, grumbling menacingly. Kujhade then turned to her finally.

"If Yaut Prime were to face an infestation, there would not be a yautja there who would not fight. They may come, but you will be responsible to see to it that they do not interfere, or become a nuisance to us. If they cannot keep themselves alive, I will not be responsible. My duty extends only to my clan, none others. Is this understood?" He said sternly. It was the most Jasmine could have asked for, especially considering the circumstances. She nodded quickly, lest he should change his mind about it.

"I got it," she said to Kujhade, then turned towards Mike with a smile. "The big boss says you can come, but stay out of his way. I intend to make sure it happens like that. So, since it was your idea Army boy, lead the way," she said. Mike straightened his back, looking every bit the part of hardened soldier now that he had a specific task at hand.

"About four miles west of here, is a temporary military base. It will still be stocked with weapons, ammo, maybe armor for us. We can hike it on foot which, if we put boots to asses, we can get there in about thirty minutes, maybe a little more because to be honest, we're tired as shit," Mike said. As he spoke the words, Jasmine could see the weariness on his face as he looked longingly at the downed vehicle. Jasmine brought up the 3D image of the streets of New York before everyone's eyes.

"Point out where it is," she said simply. Timidly, as if he thought the image might be disturbed by his touch, Mike did manage to point out the location. Jasmine quickly programmed it in, and all maps were instantly updated.

Thwei, then stepped forward, going to the front of the Humvee. He stood, examining it for a few moments, before ripping the hood completely off, and tossing it like a piece of trash. He then pressed a few buttons on his own device, and pointed it towards the Humvee's battery. After a few seconds, he manually engaged the starter, causing the vehicle to rumble to life. The relief in Mike's face was evident. He turned to Jasmine, then looked warily at the large pale predator standing protectively behind her.

"Are they riding, or what? Cause I don't think they can fit," he asked sincerely. Astro couldn't hold back the laughter, which in turn made Marcus chuckle as well.

"I already made big boy ride in a Jeep. I don't think he liked it though," she said, shaking her head. Kujhade growled at understanding what she was referring to.

"I have warned you female. I will never board one of these transports again," he said, bristling even at the thought.

"I should make you ride anyway, just because you hated it," Jasmine said, rolling her eyes.

"In any case, they can run faster than you can drive, so they can make their own way. Me, on the other hand, I'm going to squeeze in here next to Marcus, so we need to roll," she said and made her way towards the Humvee.

"Mar'cte, Nanku, we must go," Kujhade ordered. All of the yautja phased from sight instantly, becoming nothing more than a shimmering optical illusion, and soon, not even that.

"Shit. That's cool as fuck," Astro commented quietly, before filing into the vehicle. Jasmine grabbed a seat between Astro (who was busy giving her googly eyes), and Marcus in the rear. While Mike took the driver's seat, with a contemplative Lex riding shotgun. They made haste with the morning sun behind them.

[][][][][]

They arrived at the Army compound within the hour. The streets had been eerily empty of any living being. They were however, littered with the dead bodies of people and a few aliens as well. Alexa had closed her eyes against the sight, but the imagery in her mind was only marginally less frightening for a different reason. His face. His strange, inhuman, and altogether frightening face loomed in her mind. She tried to imagine him sneering, growling, menacing, but she could not. Not because he was incapable of any of it, but in neither of her encounters had he done any of that. Admittedly, whatever expression he was wearing was a mystery to her, but he always seemed calm, even curious. His golden-green eyes were incredibly intelligent, a fact that she had noticed the first time around. She couldn't shake the feeling of déjà vu, and if she was being honest, of destiny. What were the chances of this particular predator coming into her life again after so long? Of all the predators, why him? Had he been looking for her? She shook her head as she exited the vehicle.

Alexa had spent her life being confident, even cocky in her abilities to do anything. She had always been the best student, the top of her class, at the top of her game, and if she were being honest, she'd always been one of the most desired females… until boys got to know her. Her father had raised her as a single father after her mother passed away, and he'd taught her strength and to never back down, never let them see you sweat. She'd taken all those lessons to heart, but that awful night in that pyramid had nearly broken her. Her very profitable business had fallen to the wayside due to her being viewed as a fanatical conspiracy theorist. The media war waged against her by the company, as well as the financial war in the form of bogus lawsuits that would tie her company up into the legal system, didn't help her either. The great Ms. Alexa Woods had been reduced to depending on maxed out credit cards, the good nature of the scant few associates that still spoke to her, and her own ingenuity to survive. She'd been forced to resign her position as CEO of her own company, her brainchild. Escorting rich people all across the globe, to "get a break from it all" was more for her own peace of mind than theirs. Among all the lessons her father had taught, he had also given her the spirit of an adventurer. From skydiving, to rock climbing which became her personal favorite, to skiing, bobsledding, and everything in between. He'd taken her from the peaks of the Appalachian Mountains, to the coliseum of Rome, to the cherry blossom fields of Japan. It had instilled a sense of fearlessness in her, that had served her well until Bouvet Island. Alexa could not recall the last time she had been so utterly afraid of anything before that. That night the Xenomorphs terrified her with a primal sort of fear, but it was the predators which had haunted her in nightmares. As terrible as they were, the Xeno's were no more than a feral, wild animal. Ready to kill simply for the sake of killing. It might not have even known anything else, but the predators were a monster of a different kind. They _knew_ what they were doing. In fact, they'd been doing it for many thousands of years and had literally perfected the art of killing humans. Hell, they'd even convinced the humans to start sacrificing themselves as if they were some sort of gods to be worshipped and paid obeisance. She noticed Mike looking at her curiously, silently asking if she was okay. Alexa gave him a faint smile, not enough to convince anybody but it would have to do.

The pop-up camp was as big as a warehouse, and to her amazement, was still stocked to the brim with all manner of weapons, armors, and even a tank. It was also empty, as if all the soldiers had abandon their posts. The sunlight filtered through the yellowed vinyl skylights dotting the tented ceiling. It cast an ethereal light over everything. For a fleeting moment, Alexa felt as if she were in some terrible dream. The night before did not seem as real as it had in the darkness, but she knew that was only because the immediate danger had passed for now. The small group of people branched out slowly towards the cache of equipment, appearing to be alone. It was only when, in the center of the large space, all the hunters phased into view, silent and deadly, that the humans noticed their presence.

 _Had they been hunting us, we'd be dead already,_ Alexa thought grimly, and a shiver walked down her spine.

The older one who had more-or-less inspected her earlier, made immediate eye contact as soon as he appeared. Thankfully, he had replaced his mask, but that didn't stop the hairs on the back of her neck from standing on end, as he watched her like a hawk. Alexa gave him her back, feeling that if she simply paid him no mind, he would go about whatever business a thing like him had. She could practically feel his eyes boring a hole through her, as she aimlessly sifted through ammo for her empty guns. Concentrating was difficult, but she managed to find some of what she was looking for. Against her better judgement, she turned around, relieved to find that he was no longer staring. In fact, he was no longer even there. Breathing a slight sigh of relief, she turned back to the task at hand, only to be startled nearly out of her mind at the fact the he was standing right in front of her, just across a large crate of ammo. Staring. Again.

Alexa cursed herself for her continued weakness. For all the stubborn will she'd been raised to have, she could not for the life of her _not_ be transfixed by his very gaze. Even through the mask, it was piercing and was not to be ignored. He had to stand at least eight feet tall, as she had to crane her neck up a little to look at him. She swallowed thickly, trying to keep her heart rate in check. One of the few things she thought she'd realized about these beings was that they liked strength, and detested whatever they deemed to be weakness. Alexa didn't know why it should suddenly be so important to impress him. Perhaps somewhere in her reptilian hindbrain she knew it was connected to surviving any chance encounters with any of them.

There it was again; that happy predator sound. He'd turned his attention once again to the combi-stick lashed to her back, and trilled again.

"Kv'var kiande amedha, Lexxxssss?" He asked her. She blinked in surprise. Was he asking her something of great importance? All she could discern was her name that he seemed to enjoy elongating into a hiss. Whatever he was asking, it seemed to concern the weapon. He motioned towards it again, and repeated his inquiry, this time a little more urgently. Whatever he was asking, it apparently wasn't a rhetorical question. He wanted an answer, now. The very low growling, happening just at the end of her audial threshold, told her that he might have been growing impatient with her lack of understanding. Thwei reached out with a large clawed hand, and tilted her head down just a little. When she raised her eyes to meet his again, the low growl became a little more pronounced. Not liking the feeling that she was being lightly chastened, but also not wanting any undue trouble, Alexa lowered her gaze again. Instead of his face, her eyes fell onto the very broad, chiseled, and scaly chest of the large alien. The growling stopped immediately. So, it wasn't the language barrier that had gotten him antsy, it was the eye-to-eye contact that had set him on edge. Alexa filed that little piece of information away for later. Perhaps, like dogs and other predatory animals, these yautja took it as a direct challenge of their authority? Had to be it. It killed her not to look him in the face. Being a woman who'd had to prove herself in a male dominated space, she was accustomed to looking men square in the face.

 _He's not a man Alexa, remember that if you wanna keep breathing._

She took a deep breath and tried to concentrate on what she thought he might be asking. Well, she'd tell him _something._ Unable to help herself, she did look at his mask again, being careful to look just a little off to one side, which seemed to be satisfactory.

"Thank you," she offered, not sure how she should begin. He tilted his head to the side like an overgrown puppy.

"For the weapon," she said, motioning to it. "I always wanted to say thank you. I, cherish it. I like it a lot," she ended awkwardly, then looked away. He stood there as if he were thinking about what she'd said.

"Welcommmee Lexxss," he rumbled in English, taking her completely by surprise. "Good weapon, kill many kiande amedha," he said.

Her head was spinning. He could talk?! Now she was glad she hadn't spoken aloud some of the more disrespectful thoughts she'd been having. She was about to say something else, until Jasmine's voice cut in.

"Everybody, gather round," she called out. Everyone gathered together, the humans on one side, and the yautja on the other. They were all looking at a large holographic map of the sewer system and the nests within. The map itself was created by three small discs lying flat on the floor, projecting the image upwards. The Xenomorph nest was massive. Looking at it, a feeling of dread fell over Jasmine. If there were that many already, how would they be able to get rid of them all? Of course, the predators displayed no such doubt. Kujhade stepped forward, and took a few moments to examine the map, plotting points with the tip of a talon.

"Here, is where the queen is likely to be. This seems to be the highest concentration of activity. A few entrances surround her chambers and, given the size of the hive, they will be well protected," he said in his own language. Every human's brow was furrowed, as all they heard were guttural growls, and fast clicks. Marcus nudged Jasmine in the ribs with an elbow.

"Translation. We can't understand this monkey talk," he said, much to the amusement of Astro who couldn't stifle a giggle. A short bark put a halt to all side conversation, as Kujhade seemed to be highly irritated at not being listened to intently.

"Okay, okay goddamn. Just let him finish. I'll tell you what he said in a minute," she replied, not liking her new translator job. Mollified, Kujhade continued.

"Mar'cte, Elder Thwei, I will need you at my side. We are the most experienced and we should take the hive," he stated, looking the map over closely.

"And you'll go in there, and what are we supposed to do? Sit here and look stupid as hell? No. We're _all_ going in that hive," Jasmine piped up. Nanku gave a grunt of support as well, not liking to be excluded from the best part of the hunt.

"M-di Jasmine. You are becoming a good hunter, but you and Nanku are not experienced enough to take a hive, and I will not bear your death on my first cleanse. You stay with the other humans. There may be much to do above ground," he said, his tone final. Jasmine sulked and crossed her arms.

"Well?" Mike asked Jasmine. All eyes fell upon her to fill them in. Sighing loudly, Jasmine repeated the plan.

"The big-time hunters don't think we're good enough to go with them, so we're assigned to the kiddie table, while the adults go play," she said mockingly. Mike seemed to think about it.

"That might not be so bad. We might still have to worry about Weyland sending more troops, and if that's the case, somebody has to be ready for that," Mike offered. As much as she hated to admit, he had a good point.

"You have a point Mike, but that is a humungous hive, and experience or not, I think we all need to go down. I know they can likely handle it, but, I know what these things can do and how fast they can do it. We all saw what happened last night. That was just the first big attack. What happens tonight when they come back out? Weyland is small fries compared to these things," Alexa stated, her eyes fixed on the image of the nest.

"Weyland is never small fries Alexa, and you of all people should know that. We need to have our asses covered, and be ready for any contingency. If we all go down there, we will be sitting ducks. They can kill us all in a single stroke, and it would be stupid to think otherwise," Mike countered. Alexa seemed deflated, unable to deny the logic.

"Listen, I'm ready to bang either way, just point me in a direction, and I'm ready to kill some shit son. Plus, we owe those Weyland motherfuckers for locking us up and shit," Astro chimed in, his customary smile seeming more sinister than jovial. Jasmine gave him a curious look, then turned to her brother.

"Just knowing you, I _know_ this has gotta be your little friend. Tell me I'm wrong," she said. Marcus blushed and put his eyes down. "He's crazy," she commented again.

"In a good way though Ms. Jasmine," Astro said, boldly sidling up to her. Kujhade gave a warning growl, not appreciating the young male's proximity.

"I think you better back up lover boy. Lite Brite's not having it," she said, nudging him a little, just to let him know there were no hard feelings. Astro put his hands up in surrender and took an exaggerated step back.

Everyone's attention turned back to the tasks at hand. Mike was staring pensively at the map, rubbing his stubbly chin with the heel of one hand.

"We need to all go down," he said suddenly. Thwei and Kujhade seemed to bristle at the tone, which seemed defiant.

"What makes you change your mind Mike?" Alexa asked, suddenly worried although she didn't know why.

"No one is coming. If the armed forces were going to come, they would have already. There is no way that a catastrophe this big, happening in one of America's most popular major cities, should be this devoid of federal presence. No, our biggest threat are these things right here," he said, jabbing a long finger at the nest location.

The room was quiet as all the humans turned their thoughts inward. It was a daunting task to face down the aliens on their usurped home turf. All who were present were fully aware of the extreme dangers that faced any who ventured there. The only difference was that the hunters were confident, and to a certain degree looked forward to such a prestigious challenge, but the humans were in mortal fear of not only their lives, but the disastrous consequences of failure.

"Are we forgetting about Bishop, Mike? He's always planning something. There's no way he'll just sit back and watch us destroy all of his "hard work", you know that," Alexa offered, setting her jaw even at the thought of the man.

"Bissshopp," Thwei rumbled, causing everyone to look his way. He reached behind his back and pulled the gruesome trophy of a skull and spine free. He dangled it, taking care to make eye contact with Alexa.

"Bissshopp," he rumbled again. The air of pride was obvious.

"Oh my god. That's disgusting," Alexa said in a hushed tone, her hand finding its way to her mouth. Everyone else except Jasmine stared on in astonishment. A wry smile spread across Mike's face.

"So, you killed that sonofabitch? Good," he commented.

"Was he important somehow?" Jasmine asked the Elder. He stuck out his broad chest proudly.

"Arbiter, this human seemed to be the leader of the Weyland clan. The matriarch commanded us to destroy this clan. The rest should be easy to find," Elder Thwei told to Kujhade, who nodded grimly.

"Not only to destroy it Elder, but also to destroy all the information it may have on the yautja. Were you able to retrieve information before taking your trophy?" Kujhade asked, turning his attention to the elder.

"He had some sort of primitive communication device. I have recovered it," he said. He then tossed it to Kujhade who caught it, and proceeded to examine it.

"Give that to me before you break it," Jasmine said, taking the mobile tablet from his hands. She then beamed at the Elder.

"You keep getting trophies like this, and I might have to spend a night on your clan ship Elder Thwei," she teased with a smile. The elder clicked in surprise, then openly purred at her.

"What is this device, and do you understand how to operate it?" Kujhade asked Jasmine, cutting through the nonsense.

"Duh. This will tell us all we need to know about Weyland hopefully. Although, if they are a big company with interest in you guys, I doubt they're stupid enough to put all their information in one spot," she said, looking over the tablet before tossing it to Alexa, who was reaching out for it.

"I've got someone I know who can hack this thing to get into the entire database, but they're way on the other side of the world right now," she spoke to herself.

"Ain't nobody got time for that. Here," Jasmine said, handing her a very small, rectangular device. It was no bigger than a micro SD card. "This will hack anything, anywhere."

Alexa's eyes brightened in delight.

"Okay, so it's settled. We're all headed into the nests. When are we going Kujhade?" Jasmine asked. He seemed to check his gauntlet.

"I have T'chnde mapping the entire infested area. More than one nest, maybe more than one queen. When I have all information, we will go," he said. He then looked at her, examining her vitals through his mask. She was well, but he detected signs of fatigue. He then scanned all the humans, and the others were highly fatigued, except his mate's brother. He seemed to be curiously strong and alert. He was only what a human would consider a little tired. Kujhade thought, if he'd had a mind to hunt him, Jasmine's brother would be able to sustain a run or fight for an extended amount of time. Kujhade had encountered strong male prey from among the humans. They were not easily worn down if they avoided injury or a beating. These types of males obviously performed some type of physical training on a regular basis which explained their stamina. The other taller male, fit this description. These were the human equivalent of a warrior class, but Jasmine's brother was in much better condition. His oxygen intake was nearly double his human counterparts, which always coincided with superior strength and cardiovascular efficiency. Kujhade did not note any physical differences externally or internally. He seemed fully human in every way. It was curious however. Perhaps it was because he appeared to still be a juvenile. A large juvenile by human standards, but he still seemed young. Right around the age of an unblood close to a chiva. When he thought of it in these terms, Kujhade accepted the inclusion of the humans within the hunt. They were adults, and if they had been yautja they would either be dead, or on the lowest part of the social rankings for having not performed a chiva yet.

"You rest, but do not go far. The hunt resumes soon," he told her and went back to his work.

"Big boss says we can rest or whatever, but don't go too far. He's mapping the whole city I think, so it might take a little while," Jasmine said. The little crowd dispersed, presumably to find a place to crash. The young man, Astro, quickly went over to a stacked pile of large bags of rice, and laid down, going to sleep almost instantly. Alexa went back to the ammo, and so did Mike.

"Come with me Jazzy, I gotta tell you something," Marcus said, taking her gently by the hand and intertwining their fingers.

[][][][][]

The trains were down as expected, but that didn't stop the newly reunited siblings from easily making their way from the camp in Queens, to their old home in Harlem. Jasmine was watching her brother carefully. He had been talkative when they left, but had gradually become quieter as they neared their old neighborhood. They were both heavily armed, and so avoided all contact with anyone else. Outside the death camps, there was a bit more life but it was of the martial law variety. As they traveled, Weyland military personnel could be seen ushering people out of residential neighborhoods in droves. The people were protesting mightily, especially in the lower income areas where gangs were more prevalent. The sounds of open gunfire could be heard ringing out, and it sounded like a warzone in another country.

Marcus stopped a few times, seeming intent upon entering the fray, until Jasmine pulled him along. She had never seen such aggression by him before, but then again, he had changed dramatically. Gone was the bright young boy, whose only downfall was a lack of confidence. In his place, stood a young man on the very threshold of his manhood, ready to take the world by terrible storm. She could only imagine the terrible hardships he would have had to go through at the hands of their mother. A mother who was already prone to physical and verbal abuses. Jasmine shuddered to think about it. Only once since they'd begun their little trek across the ravaged city, had she ventured to ask about their mother's welfare, and she had received a weird look and no response for her trouble.

The two siblings had traversed over rooftops, back alleys, and side streets until they reached the outskirts of their Harlem neighborhood. By the time they arrived, it was well into the afternoon, and the day was nearly unseasonable in its warmth. They had worked up a sweat getting there, and still had a few blocks to go. The neighborhood appeared long since abandoned. Most of the apartment tenements were empty, and half destroyed. At least one of them, which stood alone in the middle of a vacant lot, was still smoldering after being gutted by fire. In the near distance, the sounds of the paramilitary force could be heard as their vehicles rumbled through the streets. It was likely patrol, there to round up any stragglers, or kill any who resisted.

By second nature, Jasmine had taken point in front of Marcus, going into full hunter mode. Silently, she urged Marcus to stay in as much shadow as he could as she scouted a short distance ahead while cloaked. As the two neared their old apartment, a familiar smell and sight greeted Jasmine and a feeling of dread wormed its way into her gut. Across the street on the unstable roof of the two-flat apartment facing their old place, Jasmine and Marcus crouched and watched. That smell. Xenomorphs were close at hand although Jasmine could not readily spot the nest which had to be nearby. An uneasy silence had settled over the area. It was not peaceful, but one which was crackling with the potential to burst forth in violent motion. Yet, Jasmine urged herself and her brother to simply sit still and wait. He crouched next to her, watching the building. She waited. Even his personal silence seemed to be the precursor to a torrent of speech. She did not have to wait long to be proven right.

"Momma killed Terrell," he blurted out. The odd and frightening mask his sister wore, turned slowly to face him, the question evident without needing to be spoken aloud. Marcus simply stared forward, his glare intense as he seemed to be recalling a particularly disturbing memory. Jasmine waited patiently.

"It seems like forever, but I guess it has only been a few weeks or so. Terrell must've got out of jail, because I came home from the gym to see him there. He was the same asshole as he had ever been. I remember thinking, why would she still be fucking with this dude?" Marcus said quietly. He paused, licked his lips, then carried on.

"He was challenging me in that way he used to always do. You remember that right?" He asked. She nodded. She certainly recalled his antagonistic ways. He was a bully, point blank. No question to that. Marcus continued.

"He kept just being disrespectful as fuck, but I ignored it the way I always did. I went to my room to do my homework. I must've fell asleep because I remember waking up to them arguing. Typical shit really, but when I heard him attack her, Jasmine, I snapped. I couldn't take it no more. I couldn't relive that shit no more," he said, his jaw clenching as he spoke, and his hands balling into fists.

"I just ran in there like a bull outta the gate, and I ran right into him, full steam. I been taking MMA classes, so I was using that. I had him too Jazzy. I had him, and all I kept thinking about was all the shit he did to us all the time. How he turned our mother out on that shit, and then bragged about it. So, I hit him, and then I hit him again. We had got into it so bad Jazzy. It wasn't like the other times. Probably because, if I have to be honest, I wanted to kill him. I _wanted_ to kill him. Then he started talking his shit. He started talking about us, about you. He started talking about, about, about all that stuff he used to do to you Jazzy, and I just saw red. Momma ended up pulling a knife on me. I charged him, but he caught me and started choking me out. I thought I was gonna die, real talk. Then, something happened and he let me go all of a sudden. When I finally saw it, I saw momma standing over him with the bloody butcher knife. Momma killed him, but she hated me for it. Blamed me for it. I left that night, and I never came back," he concluded. His face was wet with tears, but his voice was steady. Behind her mask, Jasmine's face was also wet with them, and she didn't trust herself to speak. In her mind's eye, she could see it all vividly and it horrified her to her core.

"I don't know what we gone find in there Jazzy, but I felt like you had to know that. I'm sorry. Sorry for not knowing how much he hurt you," he said, his voice finally cracking a little before he struggled mightily to regain his composure. Her heart broke into a million pieces. He had nothing to be sorry for, nothing at all. She reached out a hand and grabbed his shoulder, slowly dragging him into a hug. With only little resistance, he obliged and buried his head into her bosom. She could feel his hot tears falling and running down her front.

There were a million things to say, but none of them could do her feelings any justice, so she held him close and let him spend his emotion. It was a brief but powerful storm of tears before he pulled himself from her embrace. In a more relaxed silence, they both stared at the old place, seeming to gather their collective strength before stepping foot inside an old nightmare. Jasmine patted her brother's hand, then negotiated her way down to the street. He followed close behind.

[][][][][]

It was gutted. The old apartment held nothing but the putrid stench of death. Every corner of it a grim reminder of their childhood and the terrors they endured. They held each other's hands, making their rounds to each room, struggling to find the closure they so desperately needed. Neither of them could escape the feeling of finality. This was the end, goodbye. This was the closing of the final pages of this book, and it couldn't happen fast enough, but something was missing. Their mother was nowhere to be found. Where she had gone or if she had even survived became an unasked and unanswerable question.

In her old room, Jasmine could not bring herself to retrieve a single item of supposed sentimental value. As she perused through old possessions, and sifted through old clothes, she found that there was nothing here which even seemed to belong to her anymore. The Jasmine who owned these things, for all intents and purposes, no longer even existed. Jasmine felt, she should leave the relics of the past in the past. Leave them in a place where they could no longer harm her. They rounded back into the living room, standing at the threshold of a front door which now hung ineffectually off its hinges. They gave it one more look before turning their backs upon it. She noticed that Marcus had come away empty handed as well, and there was a part of her which was both saddened, and relieved about that fact.

They had made it almost out of the building before there was a noise behind them. Immediately, Jasmine scanned the area. It was a subtle sound. Like two pieces of cloth sliding against each other. Subtle, but there. The ground floor had five apartments, the leasing office, and the doorway to the basement which housed the laundry room. The washing machines had long since been out of commission, and the room had become a favorite haunt of the junkies both inside the building, and around the immediate neighborhood. Today, the floor was dark. Not only was it dark due to a lack of windows, but because the back half was covered in the tell-tale signs of a hard meat nest. Sensing her unease, Marcus readied his shotgun, not liking the fact that Jasmine kept putting herself between him and whatever potential dangers she thought might be ahead. As much as he didn't like it, he had to admit that she moved and carried herself with a certain confidence that was hard to deny. She had brandished those weird blades all the predators carried, and she did look intimidating in her armor, which he was disturbed to find was an actual Xenomorph face.

They crept down the darkened hall, stepping into a goopy substance covering the floor. It appeared to get thicker as they went, but there was something quite weird about it. Jasmine was sure there were at least a couple hard meats around, but they were doing a good job of hiding. She'd realized, this was when they were at their most dangerous. It was day, and this was not the main nest so any aliens here were likely vulnerable and separated from the hive, at least for the time being. Hearing that same subtle sound, Jasmine stopped in her tracks and motioned Marcus to do the same. They were at the end of the hall, just before the entrance to the basement and laundry area. She was staring at something in the corner near the ceiling, and had readied her stance. Marcus' vision had improved, but he still had trouble making out whatever she was looking at, although he had a pretty good damned idea about what it was.

It was huddled in the corner. It did not appear to be as large as some others she had encountered, but that meant very little. Big or small, these things could be formidable at all times, and were never to be underestimated. It was hesitant to attack, which could have meant it was alone. Suddenly, it readjusted its body into a position better suited for pouncing and striking. It was hesitant, but not fearful. Quickly, Jasmine scanned the immediate area for any accomplices it may have, but it really did seem to be alone.

The sound startled Marcus. At first, he thought that hissing noise was coming from the alien that was hanging out in the corner, but it was coming from his sister. Where she had acquired the ability to produce _that_ noise was anybody's guess, but it must have worked because the slimy alien shot out from its position in a full-on attack. It was over before it began. Marcus had barely time to squeeze off an unnecessary shot, before it lay dead at Jasmine's feet, its head severed neatly from its body. Quickly, Jasmine did another scan, but the hall was empty. It was likely it was alone, as any commotion seemed to stir them all up at once. Having done the job, Jasmine turned to leave but they both stopped as they heard another muffled noise coming from the laundry area. Without hesitating, Jasmine scanned again before entering the pitch-black room. It was covered in slime and nest material, the three washers and two driers barely visible underneath the black resin-like substance.

"Marcus," a female voice trailed off weakly. They both turned towards the sound, and stared in open horror. There, upon the wall, held in place by the nest itself, was their mother. Below her, a single open, empty egg. How it had gotten there, or why it was placed there was a mystery perhaps never to be solved, but the end result was all too common knowledge.

"Momma?" Jasmine asked pointlessly, removing her mask in the process. Though weakened, and dying, their mother's eyes twinkled with the light of recognition. The tears sprang from her eyes instantly, as she looked at her children. Her arms and legs were trapped, but she still tried to reach for them, outstretching her fingers.

"Help me," Marcus urged Jasmine. She stepped forward, and cut through the hardened muck. Marcus caught their mother in his arms, and lowered her to the floor.

She was frighteningly frail. Jasmine had not remembered her being so incredibly thin and feeble looking. Her ankle was twisted at an odd angle, and she seemed like she'd been in a fight. Jasmine stood at her feet, as Marcus cradled her head in the crook of his arm. Gently, he stroked her wet cheek, murmuring something Jasmine could not hear.

Angela locked eyes with the daughter she had not seen in a little better than two years. A daughter that she'd written off in more ways than one. Her life was ending physically, but she had been dead for quite a long time. For the first time in many years, Angela Bledsoe saw her children, really _saw_ them. Despite her strange clothing, she could see her young little Jasmine, so full of promise and life. Her eyes slowly trailed to her only son, who despite all she had put him through, was still kneeling with her, crying silently.

Angela didn't remember much about how she'd ended up here, but she knew instinctively that the pain in her chest would kill her. She'd traveled around the city like a zombie, hollowed from the fateful actions which ran her son away. She'd never killed anyone before, and it had been too much to handle. She'd spent all her days and nights doing anything to stay high, to keep numbing the pain. Even when it became obvious that there was something major happening in the city, Angela couldn't have cared less. In her heart of hearts, she wanted to die, but didn't have the courage to take her own life. She only had one wish, and it seemed that something, somewhere, had heard and granted it. _Oh lord,_ she would pray, _if you don't do anything else, just give me one more chance with my kids. Just one more chance with my kids._ It was all she could stand to do, because thinking about it only deepened the guilt and pain.

She managed to lift her arm weakly, and beckoned her daughter closer. There was the briefest moment of hesitation, before Jasmine did kneel next to her. Angela fumbled for Jasmine's hand, and when she'd grabbed hold, Jasmine was surprised to feel the strength in that grasp. For the first time in many years, Jasmine was looking at her mother's eyes, which were not shrouded in the haze of a drug induced high. They were clear, and white, and scared, and sorrowful. With the other, she grabbed for Marcus. Her mouth worked soundlessly before she was able to speak her piece.

"I am so, so sorry. My babies, ohh.." she said breaking down into sobs and trying to get it all out before her time ended. The pain in her chest increased. She gripped even harder, squeezing their hands, trying to convey with her touch what she struggled to say with her words.

"I hurt you, and I let that wretched man hurt you. Hurt you both. Please, please forgive—Ah!" She cried out, then shook her head to deny the crushing pain she felt in her chest.

"Please, please forgive m-me Jazzy. My Jazzy girl. I know I don't deserve. I can't deserve, and it's okaaayyy... " she cried out again, her body actually heaving with the pain. Jasmine readied her blades, slowly allowing them to exit their housing. All three of them were weeping, but trying to let the words that needed to be both heard and said, be spoken to completion.

"I forgive you momma," both her children said, nearly in unison. The look of shock and then relief played prominently and briefly over Angela's face. Exhausted from the effort, she laid her head back, her eyes closing and opening again. She brought Jasmine's hand to her chest, and looked into her eyes once more.

"It's okay baby. It's okay. I didn't show it, but I love you. I love you both so much. It hurts so bad babies, so bad," she said, her body heaving forward again, chest first. She was now too weak to give voice to the pain. Marcus looked at Jasmine. He looked to her for guidance, for permission. It was the first time since being reunited, that she could see the youth of the little brother she'd left behind.

Jasmine gently stroked her mother's cheek, leaning down to kiss it. Marcus did the same.

"We love you momma," he said, teary-eyed, but he did not turn from the work at hand.

"Bye momma," Jasmine spoke quietly. The blades sank smoothly through the thin breast plate, killing the woman, but more importantly, killing the thing thriving within her. And just like that, there was no more hate. No more dread, or resentment. There was only her mother, whose life she had now taken. There was little blood, as Marcus slowly lay her down, using his fingers to close her eyes for the final time. On shaky legs, he stood. He searched momentarily, finding an old throw blanket. It wasn't ideal, but it would have to do. Ceremoniously, they both covered her. They stood for only a few minutes, holding one another, struggling to reign in their chaotic emotions.

Finally, they exited out of the back entrance after Jasmine broke the still active gas lines which served the defunct driers. The hiss of gas could be heard even outside in the alleyway, where they stood. The familiar whine of her plasma cannon preceded the two blasts which ignited the gas. They retreated back across the street, and watched as the building exploded into a conflagration which was rapidly consuming the old apartment building. As they stood, closing this chapter in their hearts with a finality that could never be revisited, the signal came through on Jasmine's gauntlet.

"C'mon. We gotta get back," she said, and turned in the direction they had come. Marcus followed silently after.

* * *

 **A/N: Yes, I know the chapter was massive, but I couldn't help it. Not particularly action-packed, but that's coming in the final chapter. I intended to make this posting my last for the story, which would have included the epilogue, but there was too much I wanted to say, and it was getting out of hand. So, there's at least one more post coming to complete the tale.**

 **I know I removed the weekly expectation, but I never intended to not post for weeks at a time. I've been going through a lot for the past few months, and I've not had the concentration I've needed to dedicate to this story. Don't worry. I'm not going to leave the story hanging, but I did need to post something before I went out of town next weekend. I wish I could say it's a fun trip, but it's not. In any case, thanks so much for keeping up with this story, and sticking by me with all your supports and views. See you next time!**


	25. My Apologies!

p style="text-align: center;"span style="text-decoration: underline;"strongNEWSFLASH/strong/span/p  
p style="text-align: left;" /p  
p style="text-align: left;"Hey my loyal fans, readers, reviewers, and fanfiction friends!/p  
p style="text-align: left;"First, let me just simply apologize. For one, I apologize for the false alarm. I know some of you have this on notification, and thought it was a new chapter. Sorry, because I didn't mean to troll you. I did want to at least touch base with all of you, as I feel you deserve at least that much. /p  
p style="text-align: left;"Second, I have NOT abandoned this story. It's just that many things have been happening and none of them good. My last couple of months have been trying, and that's an understatement. I won't go into any details, because I'm very private and not going to post what's been going on with me, but suffice it to say it has drawn ALL my time and attention. The stress has been tremendous, but now it seems to be coming back to normal. I've been writing emat /em the last chapter, but now I am starting to write it in earnest. I'm about half way through it, but I haven't even touched the epilogue :(/p  
p style="text-align: left;"In any case, please bear with me on this. I've done the EXACT thing I promised not to do, which was make you wait two months for an ending that may or may not be as good as you expect. I am so deeply sorry about it, as I really feel I've let you all down, but I shall redeem myself! My chapter is coming and I hope it's as good as you expect or need it to be./p  
p style="text-align: left;"Thanks to all of you, I miss you, and I'm coming back to you 3 :D/p 


	26. Infested: The End of An Era

The MRE's they had eaten weren't as bad as Jasmine thought they'd be. When she and Marcus had returned from their emotional excursion, the humans had rested and eaten, and the yautja were more than ready to resume the hunt. They hadn't lost as much daylight as she feared.

She and Marcus had relayed the information to Mike and Alexa, about the Weyland military they had witnessed ushering people towards the FEMA camps. Mike hadn't liked that news at all, as it profoundly changed the plans they had previously made. If they had marched through the streets, corralling people against their will to the other camps, then it was a matter of time before they came to Queens to do the same. In preparation for what seemed to be the inevitable, Mike, Alexa, and Astro had procured the command center that Bishop had left operational before his untimely demise. The men who had occupied the space were vacant, but had left the center functional. It was for all intents and purposes an armored tank, which was immune to certain electrical disturbances, and hacking of its systems. They'd moved it to a more strategic area, after using its override functions to close and deactivate all gates into and out of the area leaving just one on the western edge. They positioned the rolling command center nearest that gate, which was also where the remaining survivors had huddled, too afraid to make a move either way. After that, they waited.

Marcus was quieter than usual, and had a funny vibe. Astro had to rethink it several times before opting to simply not speak to his friend. He was morose, and had a murderous look in his eyes. Moreover, he looked as if he had been crying as well. Astro had no idea what had transpired, but he had also noticed that Marcus' sister wasn't in such a good mood either. She also had not spoken much, and silently left the humans in favor of the alien hunters.

[][][][][]

Kujhade watched as Jasmine donned her armor and weapons and followed along. There was something very different about her mood and her scent. The yautja had no words to express emotions such as grief or deep sadness, but there was something going on with her just the same. He had no time to be distracted, but he hoped that his mate was not so out-of-sorts as to jeopardize herself or the mission.

All the hunters had stealthily, and painstakingly made their way to the sewer entrances that marked the outer edges of the nest, and worked inward. As before, Mar'cte and Nanku were together, Thwei worked alone after Alexa refused to leave the humans, and Kujhade and Jasmine were once again paired. The plan was to set sonar-based weapons strategically within the sewers, which would drive them up and into broad daylight where they would be more vulnerable and hopefully easier to kill.

Jasmine had taken the lead, knowing just about where they should be, and the best way to get there. Since this was her home world, Kujhade decided to avail of her knowledge of the landscape. He got a little closer behind her, as she carefully placed each of the marble-sized devices down the wide, and partially crumbled tunnel. He clicked a little, and grunted her way. Nothing. She didn't even turn around, or pause what she was doing. He supposed that was the way it should be. She should be focused on the hunt, not on him, but it was out of the ordinary for her. She _always_ paid attention to him; always.

Jazzy knew what Kujhade wanted. He wanted attention, and he wanted to see where her head was at. She and Marcus had returned to the group with the death of their mother weighing heavily around them and in them. Jasmine had been trying to stay strong for her younger brother, but there were no words she could say to make it alright. Despite the circumstances, the fact remained that she had taken her blades and killed her own mother, and she couldn't shake the feeling of wrongness. Deeper down, there was also a sense of having exacted revenge, and Jasmine had forced even the thought of it, way down within her mind and locked it away.

Logically, she'd had no choice but to do what she did. The alternative of watching her mother suffer the unnatural birth of a hard meat, was not even an option on the table for Jasmine. She'd opted not to divulge this to Kujhade, as he would only reinforce the fact the she had made the best possible decision. In fact, it was the only honorable decision to make, but she didn't think she could handle being _congratulated_ for it. However, Kujhade was persistent in his way at times. He was edging closer and closer, grunting and clicking in a way that, on the surface seemed very nonchalant, but Jasmine knew her mate better than that. He wasn't going to stop until she told him what was going on with her. She hadn't wanted to say anything about this, ever, but if she couldn't share her deepest secrets with him, then who else did she have?

Just as she finished placing a handful of devices, she found him suddenly right behind her. She was glad he couldn't see her face. Just at the simple thought of admitting what had transpired had her on the verge of tears, but she fought valiantly against it and won, at least for now. Jasmine turned right into his chest, and surprisingly into his waiting arms. He didn't hug her, but he had gripped large hands on her shoulders and brought her very close to him. She could see him take a big inhale, and knew straight away, that he could literally smell the wrongness on her. As usual, crying wasn't going to get a gentle reaction especially in the midst of a hunt. She did, however, lay her head upon his chest and just breathed.

"I killed my mother, Kujhade," she said bluntly. With him, there was no other way. If he was shocked or taken aback at all, he did not show it. His breathing rate did not falter.

"We found her. She had a chest burster, and I had to," Jasmine said. She exhaled loudly, centering herself again.

Kujhade couldn't believe what he was hearing. His mate had first shocked him by admitting to behavior that under any other circumstance, would render her a bad blood. He waited for the rest, and when she delivered it, he was relieved to the greatest degree. As an arbiter, whether she was his mate or not, committing such a dishonorable act as to murder your own bearer, would dictate that he dispatch her there and then. However, she had given the very sound reasoning behind the act, which changed it from despicable to honorable in a matter or moments.

Time was of the essence, so he could not spend it here comforting her, but her scent had changed dramatically. He took that to mean that this small moment had been necessary for her if not for him, and he was pleased that she had yet again shown him a deeper level of trust. Contrary to his normal course of action, he was about to tell her that she had acted correctly, but she had pulled away before he could gather the words. Without saying more, and most especially without crying, she simply went back to the task. A good hunter. He had even thought to himself in that moment, that she might become a great hunter one day. She certainly had the building blocks of one, and it yet again validated her as a prime choice for a life mate. Without wasting more time, Kujhade continued to set the charges alongside her.

[][][][][]

This was one of the best days elder Thwei had had in a while. It almost erased the ugliness of the R'ka situation back on Yaut Prime. He'd made the excellent decision to participate in this great hunt, and had even succeeded in finding the human female he had set out to find. He did not understand the how his chances had been so good to find her on a vast planet such as this, but he'd located her just the same. Truthfully, if he had not found her, it would not have been such a great loss, but still.

Now, he had only to determine how to persuade her to come away with him. The thought was crazy. He had never actively pursued any other species besides yautja for mating. It seemed to Thwei, that a certain series of events and experiences had led him to this path, and therefore he was obliged to see it to its conclusion. It had all started with chasing R'ka to fulfill a vow which he really shouldn't have had to do. But then, he'd met Jasmine and many things had stirred deep within him. She reminded him greatly of the Alexa female, and if he was being truthful with himself, seeing her mate the arbiter was the final straw in making his decision to seek out Alexa.

He'd found her, which was step one. Step two, was bringing her back with him. It was equally as exciting as the hard meat hunt, if not more so. She seemed put off by him if he was to go by her physical reactions, but her scents told a different story. While not totally welcoming, she had seemed more curious than fearful, and he thought he knew how to handle that. She was altogether intriguing. On the way to this relatively primitive planet, Thwei had watched the footage of his pup, marking the female with the clear intent to mate her. Even when Thwei himself had approached her to give her a trophy for her valiant fighting, she had only been cautiously apprehensive, but not completely afraid. It was still the same way. She was cautious, and this showed good judgment. She also showed curiosity as it pertained to him, and this showed that there was hope in going further. It also let him know she had intelligence. Only an intelligent being would attempt to overcome their fear in order to learn more about that which they were afraid of. Knowledge often allayed fear, and so this was a good thing.

Alexa would be his. This was a non-negotiable fact as far as Thwei was concerned. He wondered briefly upon meeting them, whether or not the large adult male had a claim over her. He didn't think so, but if that was the case, that wasn't anything that a challenge wouldn't solve. Surely, she would be swayed by the larger more powerful male, and Thwei had no doubt about his victory in such a case.

Suddenly, he whipped around, his canon charged and ready. There was a sound, like something splashing quietly into the foul water he was standing knee deep in. Thwei scanned the cramped, dank, dark tunnel. Flipping from one visual mode to the next, he saw nothing living except for a few scurrying animals that humans called rodents. He clicked quietly. The sound had raised his hackles, and Thwei was always inclined to believe his gut feeling even over his eyes. The eyes could be tricked, but hundreds of cycles of hunting instinct were difficult to deceive.

Thwei backed up slowly, always scanning the area all around him. He took his short spears in each hand, his senses becoming keener by the second. Something was here with him, whether he could see it or not. It had been suspiciously devoid of hard meats anyway, and that had done nothing but place him on edge despite his more pleasant thoughts about the human female. As he continued to look around, there seemed to be more and more of those rodent creatures gathering in the flooded tunnel. They were coming in from overhead, gathering on the busted pipes, and dropping into the fetid water, only to swim away in the direction from whence Thwei had just come. He may not have known much about the nature of rats, but he knew enough about hunting to know that prey animals scattered in the presence of a predator. Only, they had not been running from him, they were running past him. A large fat one even dropped on Thwei's shoulder rig before plopping into the water below.

They were exiting through a craggy hole just above and to his left, and they were swimming in the opposite direction of where he had been headed. Good. That meant he was going the right way. Still, he kept watch over the growing rodent exodus. He backed up slowly, watching them and looking in every direction. Eventually, the rodents began to clog the crude entrance, squeaking their disapproval of being bottlenecked. Thwei finally decided there were no larger threats currently present. With one last look around, he turned back to move forward, and stopped again. No, his instincts were still buzzing, hackles still raised. Forget the rats, because whatever they were fleeing from was here. He couldn't see it, but he could feel it.

Before him, the tunnel split off into a fork. One side was pitch black, and the other was relatively clear and even had sputtering lights going down its length. The lights did not improve visibility. Instead, it only created shadows which seemed to shift and move of their own accord. Had he been seeing things in the human spectrum, he would have had a hard time detecting the threat which loomed ahead of him. Luckily, there was only one visual spectrum which allowed hard meats to be seen, and he was using it. He readied his weapons once more. He'd locked in on his target, and sensing that it had been spotted, decided to uncoil itself from around the entrance to the dimly lit tunnel. This was no drone. This was what Thwei often referred to as the "queen's guard", and what Weyland jargon called Praetorians. Its large crest gleamed even in the low light, and its silvery fangs glinted as it bared them.

It snarled viciously, and received one in kind. The tail whipped in from nowhere, taking the elder by surprise as he just barely dodged a death blow to the head. The sharp tip was more than powerful enough to pierce the mask, so he needed to be extra careful. The advantage was with the hard meat, as it did not need as much space to maneuver in the restricted tunnel. There was no cover to take, no higher vantage points to assume. However, Thwei had not lived this long without the ability to adapt and adjust. The plasma cannon would need to be reserved as a last resort. All data gathered by his mask, indicated these underground structures had been badly compromised, and any undue impacts could cause them to collapse, either trapping him inside or killing him.

The tail strikes seemed wild and uncoordinated, but Thwei had pulled enough stunts in his long life to know a distraction when he saw one. He nimbly dodged the tail, cutting at it every time it made a pass over his head, but he was watching the large hard meat's body and head movements. It moved quickly, never coming at him from one direction, but all directions. It crawled up along the walls and ceiling, attempting to maneuver itself behind him or to perhaps catch a blind spot, but it wasn't going to work. It was an amateur tactic at best, and one that Thwei hoped the overgrown hard meat would continue to do. In an effort to distract again, it lashed out with its tail, but Thwei was ready. Grabbing it by the end, Thwei slammed the hard meat against the wall, cracking the cement and sending a dust shower raining down on them both. It was hardly dazed, as it twisted back on all fours and lunged at the elder. Six claw-tipped fingers grabbed at the elder's head as it went flying by, just missing by mere inches. Growing tired of the scuffle, Thwei turned on his heels, and released a short barrage of plasma shots from his cannon, downing the alien as it leaped in midair. It crashed to the wet floor, sending the foul water spraying everywhere. Not wasting any time, Thwei went over and cut the fingers off, taking them as trophies. Taking any other part of the body would prove too cumbersome, as the hunt was far from over. There would be plenty of kills to make and trophies to collect. Tucking the long bony fingers into the leather strap slung around his hips, he moved further into the nest.

[][][][][]

Nanku had been unusually quiet. Always boastful about what she would kill and how it would be done, Mar'cte noticed she seemed to be in deep thought. At first, he thought she was focusing more on the hunt, but when she opened her mouth to ask the question that appeared to have been plaguing her, Mar'cte couldn't contain his shock.

"Master hunter, tell me, what do you really think about our clan leader's hybrid offspring?" She asked suddenly. The tone was casual, but Mar'cte couldn't help but pause.

"There is only one thing I think, young blood, and that is how we will best clear this infestation the humans have so carelessly released. I would suggest you think of the same," he admonished, then moved silently forward.

Nanku knew he was correct, but she still had to press for the answer. She clattered her tusks lightly, drawing his attention again, along with his growing annoyance.

"Do you believe a human male is strong enough to produce pups?" She blurted out. She continued to scan the area, but felt Mar'cte's eyes boring into her. He growled low, his patience wearing thin, and eyes narrowing behind his mask as he glared at her.

"Humans produce pups daily. They can't seem to stop producing pups. What is the aim of these questions, Nanku? Out with it, as we will not stop a hunt to cater to your witless questions again," he growled out. He liked the young female, but felt like if they made it out of this, he would have to educate her about her lack of focus for future hunts, in the kehrite.

Feeling that she was treading on thin ice, she turned to Mar'cte and squared her shoulders. No need to shrink away now.

"Do you believe a human male could produce pups with a strong yautja female?" She asked. There, it was out.

Mar'cte clicked irritably, but he couldn't help but be intrigued by such a thought. He knew now by example, that humans and yautja could have offspring together, but had honestly never considered the thought that one of their own females would even tolerate the presence of such weak males, let alone accept a sexual challenge from one.

"Which of these weak human males could even survive the mating? No, Nanku. Are we done with senseless questions?" Mar'cte asked. He was starting to become truly angry with her at this point.

"Sei-i. Forgive me master hunter," Nanku said, and quietly trudged on. Mar'cte glared after her for a few moments before continuing himself. It was a strange line of questions, and it unsettled him. He didn't feel any threat coming from her, but wondered if he should bring it to Kujhade's attention anyway. Finally deciding that it wasn't worth it, Mar'cte set the last of the charges in his hand.

They were inside the nest, but hadn't seen any hard meats. Having finished her own task, Nanku came back, walking past him to leave the sewer tunnels. Once outside, they took up their positions at least one city block from each other. Mar'cte took it upon himself to send out the signal that he and Nanku were ready, then settled perched on the ledge of a low rooftop.

[][][][][]

The rumble of the convoy could be heard before they even reached the gate. The radio chatter coming in through the command center was angry and confused. Why wasn't anyone answering? Checking the cameras mounted outside the gate, Mike seemed relieved that there weren't as many as he thought there'd be. He turned towards Astro and Marcus, nodded a signal as the two young men left the command center confines and took position.

"Alexa, you're up," Mike said through the mic.

"Roger that," Alexa spoke into her earpiece. She was standing near the gate's booth. As the vehicles approached, she stood out from the gate waiving her hands as if to flag them down.

"MA'AM! STAY RIGHT WHERE YOU ARE, AND KEEP YOUR HANDS WHERE WE CAN SEE 'EM!" A voice boomed out from the lead Humvee. Alexa put her hands way up.

"I just wanna turn myself in. I'm Alexa Woods!" She called out.

"We know who you are, just stay right there or so help me god, I will kill you where you stand!" The voice called again. A few seconds later, a flood of military goons piled out of the vehicles, guns drawn and trained upon her. Just as they were surrounding her, about to apprehend her, a small canister rolled silently into the midst of them. Alexa smiled at the man directly in front of her.

"I'm glad you think this shit storm is funny. I'll make sure I'm the one to wipe that goofy looking smile of your face," he said menacingly. Alexa shrugged her shoulders.

"I don't think it's funny, but I was wondering something," she said cryptically.

"I suggest you shut up. The captain doesn't like bitches with smart mouths," the one behind her said, as he prepared zip-tie cuffs.

"How long can you hold your breath?" She asked suddenly to the captain, a large smile on her face.

"What?!" He asked irritably.

"Your breath, captain. How long can you hold it?" She asked again.

"What the hell does that mean?"

Alexa hunched her shoulder again, still smiling.

"Nothing," she said, then kicked back hard, landing a blow to the leg of the man behind her. Simultaneously, almost in slow motion, a shot rang out and the captain went down hard. Thick fog hissed from the small container as the soldiers immediately began to shoot in all directions. Alexa grabbed the gun from the dead captain's hands and shot from below. The gun was not like any she'd ever seen, but she didn't have time to stop and inspect it. All she knew, was that it was more powerful than a shot gun, with half the weight and recoil.

The effect of the fog was mitigated by a strong breeze coming off the ocean. It obscured vision, but was being whisked away almost as fast as the canister could empty. At once, the soldiers began to maneuver more cohesively, but it would be for naught. The fog had done its job.

"Drop your fuckin' weapons you pieces o' shit," a strange man said. He wore civilian clothes and looked haggard, and pissed. The soldiers were now surrounded by the few remaining survivors. Mike came strolling between them, his gun drawn and an intense look on his face. He lightly clapped the man holding the gun, on the shoulder as he walked by. Mike stopped before one of the soldiers and peered down at the slightly shorter man.

"Tell us what we wanna know. How many more of you are there, and where is the military? The real military?" Mike asked. The man stared defiantly, and shook his head slowly.

"I ain't telling you shit," he said, eliciting grunts of approval from his comrades.

In a flash, Mike took the butt of the sawed-off shotgun he was holding, and smashed it into the man's face. Stunned, the man staggered back, receiving only a boot to the sternum, as Mike kicked him to the ground. Stepping one foot onto the man's chest, Mike leveled the shotgun and promptly blew the man's head off. He turned to the next man, shotgun muzzle at his face.

"You talking or nah?" He asked. The man stared at the muzzle, then back up at Mike. When it seemed he would hesitate, Mike cocked the gun, and the man began to sing.

[][][]

"Okay, so there's a military base in Jersey. You should take a few men and one of these vehicles and find a way out of the city. You think you'll be okay?" Mike asked one of the survivors.

The man nodded solemnly.

"Yeah, my brother used to serve, so I know where it is," he looked down at one of the dead Weyland soldiers with disdain.

"These fuckers rounded us up and put us in fucking concentration camps. Right here in America. America, man! They gotta pay, so we'll do what we have to, and thanks. You got one hell of a crew with you Mr. Harrigan," the man said, looking between Mike, Alexa, Astro, and lingering upon Marcus. The man leaned in close to Mike.

"You think he's alright? I mean, he looks a little, I don't know, extremely pissed," the man whispered to Mike. He was slightly alarmed when Marcus turned to him as if he'd heard it. He was standing at least ten yards away or more, but was glaring at the man anyway. Mike cast a look, and furrowed his brow. He could understand the concern. From what he was aware of, Marcus had not slept in a significant amount of hours and did not seem unusually fatigued. He had also grown. At first, Mike thought nothing of it, but when he'd met him, Marcus was barely six feet tall, now he was nearly eye-to-eye with Mike, and Mike was a healthy 6'5" or so. The muscle mass was another concern. It seemed to be coming from nowhere. It was as if the young man was "juicing" or taking steroids, but that wasn't even possible, and steroids didn't work that way. He was bulky, and it was defined and not merely for show. His strength level had gone up as well. Mike watched as he'd effortlessly tossed one man over his shoulder, and throw him at least a few feet.

"He's going through a lot right now, but he'll be okay. No worse than the rest of us I guess," Mike replied. That seemed to satisfy the man, who shook hands with Mike, then gathered a small group of men to leave with.

Mike and Alexa made sure that the remaining survivors had a way out of the city themselves. The less people around, the less numbers for the hive, even if the numbers were already out of control. After everyone had left, the small group convened near the mobile command center. Mike and Astro cast another wary glance at a brooding Marcus.

"Lighten up dude, we gonna kick ass in just a minute," Astro tried. Marcus only glanced up, flashing a brief smirk before reaffixing his scowl firmly in place. Deciding that enough was enough, Astro took a chance. He liked Marcus, although they had known each other only a short time, and under the strangest of circumstances. They were close in age, with Astro only being three years older, and he felt that after all this, and if they all made it out alive, that he and Marcus would share all the makings of a good friendship. Besides, whatever was going on, it was clear that Marcus was in some sort of emotional turmoil that he was refusing to discuss. Astro came near, and beckoned Marcus to follow. He was just a little surprised to find that his young friend came along willingly enough.

"Hey man, what's going on?" Astro asked, knowing it was probably not going to be quite that easy to receive an answer. Marcus, stared at his friend for a while, before drooping his shoulders, and putting his head down. Astro waited patiently, a trait he wasn't known for at all.

"I found my mom," Marcus offered, then shook his head, still not looking up. Astro waited again, seeing that both Mike and Alexa were hovering closer so they could hear.

"She had a thing," he said, tapping his chest. "We had to."

Alexa gasped lightly, and covered her mouth with both her hands. Astro's face was a mask of empathy, as he risked placing a comforting hand on Marcus' shoulder. To his surprise, Marcus allowed it without resistance. Alexa came up to him, and forcefully grabbed him into a hug. He was now taller than her, but that didn't stop him from leaning down and resting his head on her shoulder. He wasn't crying, but it seemed a relief for him just the same. She looked at Mike with worried eyes, as she rubbed consoling circles on his back.

"Thank you, Ms. Woods," he said with such respect, that it almost broke her heart. For all his size and aggression, he was a young boy who had been through a tremendous amount of loss in a short amount of time. He briefly wrapped strong arms around her, before standing up straight.

"We don't have much time now, but I know your sister will be there for you Marcus. We're gonna make it out of here, and you'll be with her again for a long time," she said, reaching up to caress a smooth cheek. He nodded, and flashed a quick, tired smile before readjusting himself and his weapon. She watched, as his face became like stone; emotionless. It was frightening how well he could bury his emotions, in the blink of an eye.

"All the people are evacuated, so we should send the signal now," Marcus said to Mike, who immediately did so. With Kujhade's reluctant permission, Jasmine had given Mike a small communication device for the task. She had to promise to retrieve the device when all was said and done.

"Jasmine, it's all clear. Ready when you are. Over and out," Mike spoke into it. A few moments later it flashed twice. She'd gotten the message.

[][][][][]

Kujhade and Jasmine had received everyone's signal. She looked around, as the sun had begun the first leg of its descent. She watched as Kujhade made a few passes over his wrist gauntlet. When he was done, he leaped upon the roof of an abandoned storefront, and perched.

"Show off," Jasmine mumbled, and then found her own low roof across the street. She couldn't jump as high, but she found that her cleats easily dug into the building's mortar, as she made her way up. She perched over the edge of the roof as well, on all fours, subconsciously taking on the same posture as the creatures they were hunting. She could have easily been mistaken for one on first glance, had anyone happened by and saw her.

It could not be heard above ground, but soon it would be felt. The small charges weren't bombs, but sonic devices which emitted a signal that only few beings could hear. Collectively, the sound was like a tsunami, as it rolled through the underground tunnels. Once they reached a fever-pitch, the ground began to vibrate. Inside the nest, the hard meats were shrieking and scrambling aimlessly. It was all the queen could do to try to communicate with them, as she herself was beginning to succumb to the sonar attack. The sounds vibrated through them, and although she was the most resistant, she was not immune. The lesser drones had begun to rend and gnash among themselves, killing each other in the process of blindly trying to escape. Even her queen's guard turned this way and that. Only their fierce loyalty and instinct to protect her at all costs, held them from running haphazardly and attacking anything in their path.

The young queen had been laying eggs. The egg chamber was near to capacity, and there were waiting hosts, but this could not wait. She watched as the eggs themselves began to burst, the precious life within, dying before her eyes. Steadying herself as much as she could, she tore herself away from her ovipositor. She called to them above the din of the noise that only they could hear.

 _Out! Escape!_

That was the overarching directive. Leading by example, with her guards close behind, the queen made her own exit.

Jasmine tried to prepare herself, but the sheer numbers were staggering. They came pouring from underground, screeching, spitting, and nearly tearing themselves apart. She was following Kujhade's lead as he had instructed. As of yet, he had not shot any of them, as they were doing a damned good job of killing themselves. In fact, from what Jasmine could see, Kujhade was barely paying any attention to the drones. He was looking for the queen. Growing agitated because she had not made an appearance, Kujhade opened fire upon those who still had the wherewithal not to attack themselves. However, the daylight still assaulted them with a sense of disorientation, and it was easy pickings.

Lifting her bow from her back, Jasmine joined in on the fun. The arrows were more effective than she could have dreamed. They pierced through the hard meats like a hot knife through butter. The sunlight was doing its job. They came running out, but they never seemed able to get themselves organized. By now, they would have been climbing the walls, but they were only scrambling around in confusion. Kujhade had meanwhile gone down into the thick of them with his whip in hand.

For a moment, Jasmine was mesmerized. He was awesome to watch. For all his size, strength, and muscle mass there was a certain grace and fluidity to his movements, that Jasmine had never seen anywhere else. He was a Spartan warrior from another world. Kujhade plowed through them with little effort. He'd done this dance many times, and his expertise was evident. His armor gleamed in the sunlight, as he moved fluidly between them. Jasmine chose to stay up top. Sure, she could have gone down, but something told her there was a lot more fighting to be done, and she'd need to preserve her strength if she didn't want to be a burden in the fight. Also, it didn't hurt to watch him work.

It took nearly thirty minutes to kill them all, but there was still no queen in sight. Kujhade roared in both triumph and frustration, for not having a bigger challenge. Seeing that there were no more, Jasmine made her way down to the street. She had to step over the dead smoldering carcasses to get to her man. Slowly, she circled him as he readjusted his armor, growling low and watching her. Jasmine ran her fingertips up the inner part of his muscular thigh, and over his equally muscular buttocks. He gave something close to a yelp, and stared at her in surprise.

"You know, there's nothing that turns me on like a hunter who can rip the heads off three hard meats, and then look sexy as hell doing it," she cooed to him, in a sultry voice. She grazed her fingernails along his sides, and then along his abs, all while circling him. Jasmine stopped in front of him, her hands roaming all along his front. It elicited a loud purr. Suddenly, he grabbed her up by the throat and pinned her against a nearby wall. He pulled her leg up and forcibly wrapped them around himself, grinding against her as well.

"Such a distracting female! If we were not in the middle of such an important hunt, I would mate you here until you lost your voice from screaming my name," he growled. He brought his mask close to her face, and ground himself against her again.

"When we get back to the ship, Kujhade, maybe you can teach me a lesson about being such a distracting female," Jasmine said, then ran her nails against his ribs again.

"I will," he said, then released her throat, causing her to drop to her feet. He stalked off proudly, and she couldn't help but watch him.

"Come, hunter! There is more killing to be done," he called behind, and got off to a trot.

[][][][][]

The outpouring of hard meats from underground was easily taken care of. Thwei, surveyed the kills, confused about where the queen might be. He'd taken care of a guard, so she shouldn't be too far behind. Just as he was thinking about contacting Kujhade to see if he had run into the queen, he heard a low rumble. It sounded like a stampede from afar, but it was coming from beneath the street. From the same holes in the ground that the drones had come through, came three large hard meats. The queen and two of her guards. They seemed slightly confused, but less so than the group of drones. He hadn't quite planned on dealing with all three at once, but he was also never one to shy away from such a grand challenge. He was perched on a light fixture above the street. They had not sensed him yet, but it wouldn't be long before they cleared their heads and started using their brains. If he wanted to live through the encounter, he would need to strike immediately. First, the guards needed to be taken care of. Thwei shot at one of them, then jumped to a nearby building. He had to keep distance from them, and keep them confused as long as possible. If he could manage to stay on the move, and attack from different angles, he had a chance.

The hard meat shrieked and tried to track where the shot had come from, but she couldn't just yet. She lashed her tail blindly, but she wasn't even close. Thwei shot again, and tossed one of his shuriken for good measure, striking the queen's crest this time. It took a good chunk out of her crown, before it returned to his hand. The queen screeched, and lashed out, not as blindly as her guard. She stood at least two stories high, and her tail was twice that length. The queen spotted him, and began to run towards the building he was on. Thwei leaped off, just in time to miss a set of claws which would have ripped him to shreds. She barked an order to her two guards, directing them where she needed them to go. They obeyed the best they could. The sun was in the first stages of its decline still, but was still effective. They both managed to climb the building, attempting to flank him, and cut off any route of escape. Thwei had to think fast. His net was too small to cover any of them entirely, but maybe he could buy some time. He shot out a net at one of the guards, managing to aim at its face. The force of the net drove the hard meat backwards over the ledge of the building. He could hear it screeching and struggling to get out as the net restricted. That would only work for a moment, as the acidic blood would surely burn through. He shot at the other guard, hitting it square in its chest. It stumbled back, but did not fall. Instead, it charged him. Thwei nimbly dodged to the side, but was caught and tossed across the street. He slammed into a light pole, dented it, and fell to the ground. He didn't have time to be disoriented. Gathering his bearings quickly, Thwei watched as all three closed in on him. Perhaps, with all his planning, Cetanu had another plan. No matter. Every hunter would eventually meet his end. The only honorable way to enter into the eternal hunt, was by dying on your feet. Charging his twin cannons, Thwei let loose a barrage of shots. He roared loudly and charged forward, going right for the queen. If he was to die, he would take her with him.

Just as he was running full tilt towards his final prey, the guards suddenly became occupied with something else. Thwei was fully expecting to be killed by one of them, since he was going for their queen, but that would not be the case. He heard two familiar roars coming from behind his position, but he had no time to look around. Thwei's focus was the queen. He took a running start and leaped for her crown, preparing his two combi-sticks in the process. Just as he was about to strike, she turned and whipped her tail, knocking him through the air. He landed nearly a block away, with a thud on the hard asphalt.

[][][][][]

Nanku and Mar'cte hadn't had much to do. There wasn't nearly as many hard meats as they had anticipated. It was Mar'cte's idea to go towards the elder rather than towards the humans to assist. Now that they had arrived, Nanku realized that he had been absolutely correct. Two guards and the queen were all here, and Thwei was alone. They came just in time to see the elder, bravely meeting the Black Hunter in his last stand. The queen had sent the elder flying, just as Nanku and Mar'cte came to challenge the two guards. Roaring and jumping headlong into the fray, Mar'cte used his smaller size to his advantage. Their inability to properly focus notwithstanding, he was able to move between the two large hard meats before they could react. He ran and slid between their legs, shooting his plasma cannon from underneath them. Seeing how effective this tactic was, Nanku followed suit. Their reaction time really was exceptionally slow for their kind. The two guards were struggling to keep up with their smaller attackers. They were always a few seconds too late to reach or perform a tail strike. The queen, however, worked a little more clearly. She seemed to hang back and watch, but she was communicating with her guards.

They changed tactics smoothly, as the guards stopped trying to fight back, and begin to attempt to funnel the two predators towards the queen herself. The queen had to struggle to keep them on task. This went against their very nature, to allow potential harm to come near her, but she was the most capable of the three while the sun was still shining. The hard meats moved to form a loose triangle of sorts, blocking any escape either up or out, such that the predators found themselves in the middle of them. Every time either predator attempted to move underneath the hard meats, they were blocked harshly, and tossed towards the queen, who then tried to skewer or crush them. Nanku had been caught by a guard and thrown to the queen, who then managed to run the claws of her lesser arm through Nanku's side. She was hurt, but now she was close enough to the queen to try something different. Nanku still had some of the small, marble-sized sonar bombs. She managed to gather a handful from a small pouch on her side, as the queen brought the young female near. The queen's head had fully emerged from her crown sheath, as she let loose a vicious snarl. Nanku roared defiantly, and tossed the small devices at the queen. They were small enough to become trapped in the crevices of her exoskeleton. Not feeling any pain, the queen paid no attention to this move. The tip of her tail hovered as she planned to run the young predator through. With a menacing laugh, which was eerily high-pitched and close to that of a human girl, Nanku programmed the small devices and set them off. The effect was immediate. The queen slammed Nanku to the ground, and shrieked in madness, stumbling and twisting over herself. The guards did not escape. They were thrown completely off kilter by the broken mental link, and began to move frantically, running into buildings, cars, and everything else in their way.

The queen herself, was tearing at her own body, rending herself in an effort to end the debilitating sound. Seeing his chance, Mar'cte slipped between the two guards. Taking a cue from Nanku, he still had the small discs they'd used in the tunnels to cut down the horde of drones. They stuck to anything, and when he threw them at each hard meat guard, they adhered to the exoskeleton, and blinked ready. Needing to press only a single button, he barked at Nanku to move out of the way. They both moved to higher ground, and upon reaching a safer distance, Mar'cte activated the traps. They came to life, the red lasers cutting into the hard meat's flesh instantly. They were cut into small pieces, nearly exploding upon their activation.

[][][][][]

The humans stood upon the top of the mobile command center, silently making their peace and preparing for death. If these Xenomorph's were somehow impaired during the day, they didn't seem so. There seemed to be hundreds of them running towards the encampment, like a black wall of death. It was literally like watching the way a tsunami covered and flowed over everything, deadly in both its approach and its wake. Alexa grabbed and squeezed Mike's hand, then gripped her beloved spear. Marcus had tears in his eyes, but steel in his gaze as he readied his own machine gun. Astro smiled, releasing a cackle that sounded maniacal under the circumstances. Mike had gotten a rocket launcher, and stood ready with it.

"It was nice serving with you," Mike said quietly. "Don't stop shooting until you're dead."

No one responded, but the feeling was mutual. The sea of black madness came rushing to them like a tidal wave. Over the tops of buildings, covered the streets, then over the gates, with some getting caught on the barbed wire there, and trampled by the ones behind them. Mike launched a rocket, and everyone else opened fire, yelling and crying, believing this to be their last stand. But the wave came, and then it went. The Xenomorphs flowed around the command center, paying nary any attention to being shot at and killed. They did not even stop to attack. As one whole mass, like a terrible flock of alien birds, they moved inwards until the last few stragglers came up the rear. Turning to watch the retreat, the humans never stopped shooting, killing as many as possible. As they disappeared into the distance, they all turned to each other in confusion.

"Not that I'm complaining, but why didn't they kill us?" Alexa asked.

"They're going somewhere. Look how they're moving," Marcus offered.

"Let's follow 'em, and end these nasty fuckers!" Astro said excitedly. Everyone tentatively agreed, and made their way down from the top of the command center. They all jumped into the Humvee, and followed the herd.

[][][][][]

Thwei's rib was broken, as was his left ankle. A nice large gash had opened itself along his left arm, where he'd skidded along the concrete to a stop. He'd eased himself over to lean against a nearby vehicle, and began to work on himself. First, the ribs. Using his mask, Thwei could get a sense of the extent of his injury. Only one rib had been broken, and that was a hairline fracture. Not much to be done there, except a painkiller. The ankle was the biggest concern because his mobility would now come at a premium, and there was no way he would be sidelined because he couldn't walk. Thwei took his medi-comp, and opened it, looking for the best tools. He retrieved a large syringe, and filled it a quarter of the way, with a strong painkiller. Angling it as close to the fractured rib as possible, he injected himself. Within a matter of moments, he was breathing better and able to take deeper breaths. He removed his boot, prying it from around his rapidly swelling ankle. With the same syringe, he injected himself near the ankle injury. Paya be thanked, that the bone had not pierced the skin, so he believed the break could be set. It was the wrong angle for one to attempt to do themselves, but after a scan of the break, Thwei aligned his ankle with the high curb of the sidewalk as much as he could to brace it against something hard. With one large hand, he pressed his ankle quickly, moving the bone above the joint back into place, thus realigning the ankle joint itself. He let out a muffled roar, not wanting anyone to perchance hear him express any pain. He then got a small, scalpel-like knife, and made a small incision around the swell. Bright green blood flowed freely, as the swelling decreased instantly. Taking a small vial of a yellowish liquid, Thwei cleaned the small wound which was already healing, and then used the same liquid to debride the gash on his arm. Replacing the vial of liquid, Thwei retrieved a slender metallic item from the medi-comp. He expanded it to reveal it as a splint for his ankle. He filled the small chamber located on one of the metal slats, with a painkiller and antibiotic blend, and set it on his ankle. The splint fit around his lower leg like a cuff, with small needles inside which buried themselves into the muscle tissue. It would numb and work to stop any infection, as well as set the bones. It looked like a mini torture device, akin to an iron maiden.

Thwei watched with a mingled feeling of pride and anger, as the two members of Kujhade's fledgling clan brought down the two guards. He needed to be there, taking care of the queen. This was his kill, and he would not stand idly by as another hunter did his job! Thwei made it to his feet, first testing his weight on his ankle. He was starting not to feel the pain anymore. Good. That meant the drug was working. Unfortunately, he could still feel the weakness of the joint, and was unable to place his full weight upon it. That meant he had to hobble and be careful of reinjury. Thwei hated this! How could he have allowed himself to become this severely injured at his advanced age?! He took a deep breath to calm himself. Even so, he was not even near to dying, so that meant the fight must continue. Shifting nearly all his weight and balance to his good leg, he began to set off in the direction of the fight. From where he stood, it seemed the two guards were not only dead, but the queen herself was in severe distress. He wondered why the two hunters had not finished her off. It appeared they were simply content to watch her in whatever suffering she was enduring.

As he began to hobble his way towards the queen, two things caught his ear. First, coming up quickly behind him was the sound of a human transport. Thwei turned to see an obviously angry Kujhade, and his human mate quickly approaching. The car stopped with a screech, and Kujhade jumped out, growling and fussing at Jasmine. The human female was laughing a little. Angered at the laughing, Kujhade slammed into the side of the still running vehicle, turning it over on its side and roaring at it.

"You're such a big fucking baby Kujhade!" Jasmine yelled, still half laughing.

"I told you no more human transports!" He screamed in her face. Jasmine folded her arms and stood her ground, smiling behind her mask.

"Whatever, big baby. You got in it though, so get over it," she said, rolling her eyes behind her mask, and turning her attention to Thwei. She noticed right away that he was hurt, but acknowledging it would only make things awkward and make him angry. So, instead, Jasmine greeted him normally, with a respectful nod of her head, and went over to reach and shake his shoulder. He clicked his own greeting and turned to the arbiter.

"It seems your clan members have taken my kill, but I won't let them have it quietly," he half-joked.

Kujhade was about to respond, when an increasingly loud sound like thunder rolled towards them.

"What the hell is that?" Jasmine asked absently, already preparing her bow. The two hunters turned their attention towards the sound. Kujhade went to higher ground, looking for the source. He had to have seen it, because he roared loudly and both readied his cannons, and appeared to ready his last resort bomb. Jasmine's eyes went round.

[][][][][]

"Keep up with them Mike!" Alexa screamed, holding on to the inside door handle, as Mike drove like a bat out of hell to keep up.

"This thing isn't exactly known for its speed Lex!" He replied, as he took a corner going nearly 60 mph.

The swarm of Xenomorphs were way ahead of them. Their speed was astonishing, as they easily outpaced the large vehicle. A few minutes later, found them behind the large group of aliens. They'd broken formation and seemed to be completely out of sorts. They were screeching, trying to climb the buildings, doing anything and everything. They appeared to be trying to simultaneously go towards and move away from something. Mike pulled up short behind the group of aliens, being cautious all the while. Although, the small group of people seemed to be the last thing on the collective minds of the aliens, they still opened fire on them. They took cover behind cars, trucks, and walls. The mass was so thick that the people could not see the other side of them, where the queen and the hunters were located. However, they could see the blue flash of discharging plasma cannons coming from above the group.

"I can see those hunter things! Marcus, wanna dive in or nah?" Astro asked excitedly. Marcus threw him an uncertain look, but tentatively nodded in favor of the decision.

"Where the hell are you two going?!" Mike and Alexa yelled in tandem at the two young men.

"We gotta kill 'em, now!" Marcus yelled back. He ran over to the Humvee, and before Mike or Alexa could stop them, Marcus grabbed the bag full of grenades and ran.

"Fuck!" Mike yelled after them. He looked to Alexa who shrugged her shoulders.

"Shit!" He exclaimed again, and followed their lead.

[][][][][]

The queen was still a whirlwind of lashing tail and claws. The sound had driven her into complete madness, and it was now nearly impossible to approach her even for the kill. Nanku was impatiently waiting to take a trophy from her, but was reluctant to shoot her with the cannon. It might destroy her crown or other parts of her, prized for a collection. On the other hand, she could not be allowed to live regardless of the condition of her body after her death. Just as both of them were making up their minds, Kujhade came running up, with his mate and the elder Thwei in tow. He took only a few moments to review the scene, before coming to a quick resolute decision on what to do. Mar'cte and Nanku watched as Kujhade strode forward towards the writhing queen, drawing his wrist blades. Rightfully, the kill belonged to Nanku since she was the one who brought her down initially, but she was too inexperienced to know how to move forward and finish the job in this situation. Killing, of course, came naturally to all of them, and Nanku was no different nor was she any less deserving. However, she still had a lot to learn, and was content to place herself in position to do so.

Kujhade stopped and turned to his clanmates.

"Get to higher ground. She has called her entire hive, and we must leave soon," he said, and turned back to the task.

He took a moment to pick his spot to attack. It seemed chaotic, but she was moving in a loose pattern. She seemed to prefer being on her back, as she pulled at her chest area. Her blood flowed freely, running in pools to the ground making it unstable beneath her. The queen seemed unconcerned with the fact that doing this would likely kill her faster than the sonic weapons she was trying to fight. Kujhade was about to make his move, opting to come from the side and leap onto her for a decapitation, but the sea of black hard meats changed his mind. They were advancing much faster than he first believed when he saw them coming. They were already only a block away, and that was not enough time for him to kill the queen and make it away from her alive. It would be a fool's errand to try it, and he was not ready for this to needlessly be his last hunt. Instead, he climbed to higher ground himself, settling next to Nanku.

He looked over to see Jasmine and Thwei perched together nearby, all of them looking at the coming tide of death. Jasmine made her way to him, just a rooftop over. She had to yell over the din of noise the hard meats were making.

"Kujhade, how are we going to kill all of them?" She asked. With the yautja, it was not always a clear-cut answer. They were headstrong enough to jump headlong into the throng, feeling it the most honorable. On the other hand, they sometimes liked to play the long game, and live to fight another day as long as the task could be completed. He answered without looking her way.

"I have already called for our transports. The human habitation is lost," he said calmly. He then looked back at the horrible scene unfolding from below. Jasmine followed his gaze, letting his words sink in.

On the street below, the drones had reached their queen. They swarmed her in waves. At least fifty or more covered her, trying to remove the devices and dying in the process. The sound was killing some of them, and the queen was killing the rest. Every time they covered her, she went berserk. She wanted their help, needed their help, but was too insane to receive it. Instead, she was crushing them to death with her claws, skewering others with her tail, and ripping others apart. None of them dared attack her. They were helpless before her crazed onslaught. The hunters all watched, as the drones were digging at her, killing her in their desperate need to save her life. Suddenly, she scrambled to her feet, letting out a deafening roar to her subjects. In response, the drones jumped her, covering her from crown to tip, biting and gnashing at her all at once, as she plowed through the dense crowd.

Kujhade had to admit, it was pretty ingenious to have set off those devices directly on the queen's body, but she wasn't dying fast enough. He stood, and opened round after round of his cannon directly at the queen. She whipped around in his direction, but was too confused and close to death to offer any real threat. Despite this fact, his entire clan and the Elder opened relentless fire over the entire group, blowing them to bits on every discharge. Jasmine decided not to waste her bolts which she had recovered from the last batch of bodies, and just use her cannons.

Jasmine would have been having a sick sort of fun killing them so easily, but in the back of her mind she was extremely worried. She had not heard from Marcus or the others, and if they had met this horde of hard meats, then they were likely not even alive. With that in mind, Jasmine went to the edge of the roof she was on, and made the short six-foot leap to the fire escape landing on the side of the building next to it. She climbed to the top to get a better look. Her heart sank. The swarm of drones stretched over many city blocks. Their overall number was staggering. Kujhade had been correct. New York was lost. There was no way to defeat them all down to the very last hard meat. There were simply too many to make sure that not even a single egg remained. She flipped through every visual mode possible, just trying to see any sign in life beyond these horrid aliens who had decimated her home city. In the distance, she thought she saw something. Two human figures, followed by another, and then another had made it to rooftops of their own. Then, a huge explosion followed.

[][][][][]

Marcus and Astro were running along the rooftops shooting, until they were on top of what seemed to be the thickest part of the swarm. Stopping to rifle through the bag, Marcus retrieved the grenades, handing Astro a few of them as well. Without a word, Marcus pulled the pins with his teeth and tossed them haphazardly amid all the aliens. He ran a few more yards, and repeated the action. Getting the message, Astro did the same. Across the street Mike and Alexa were shooting since Marcus had grabbed the entire bag of bombs. About ten seconds later, a huge explosion erupted, blowing alien body parts sky-high, and rocking the already unstable street. A few seconds later, another, then another explosion until they were all detonated. All the while, they all kept running in the direction of the hunters. In the distance, Marcus could see Jasmine waving him over, and jumping up and down.

As they all rejoined, Mike looked upon the carnage of the queen, and cringed. She lay struggling in the street, her brood all around her, killing her and being killed. She was no longer mobile, and they had torn and chewed through her legs. Jasmine ran over to Marcus, jumping up on him and trying to kiss him through her mask, which only made him crack his first genuine smile since earlier that day. It was creepy, considering the front of her mask was the face of one of those monsters, but he let it slide.

Overhead, three ships appeared in the sky, landing on the buildings close by, embedding themselves within. Kujhade began the wrist nuke sequence, as did all the other hunters. Seeing this, Jasmine removed her mask, tears standing in her eyes.

"What the hell is going on Jazzy? Aren't they gonna keep fighting?" Marcus asked nervously. She turned to her younger brother.

"There's just too many of them Marcus. We have to destroy it," she said, her voice thick with emotion. Astro, Mike, and Alexa all exclaimed in the negative.

"No! You're one of them, you have to tell them we can save it! We can save it!" Alexa screamed, marching over and grabbing Jasmine by her shoulders.

"We can't Alexa! You see how many of them there are! You know what they can do! Now, let me go!" Jasmine ordered, wrenching away from the other woman, and starting her own wrist gauntlet sequence.

"So, it's like that? You go off with them, and now all of a sudden you can just kill millions of innocent people?" Mike asked incredulously, giving Jasmine a hard stare.

"If we don't do this, we're looking at maybe the whole eastern seaboard being like this. Hell, even all of America. You think any military or government is prepared for this kind of shit?!" She asked, with a hard edge to her voice. She then sighed, seeing that he was not moved.

"Listen, Mike, I know this is fucked up. This is my home, I grew up here. New York is known all around the world, but it's over Mike. Do you think we can win before they spread? All it takes is one. Just one egg, just one drone, just one queen. Just. One. How many other people will die because we were too chicken shit to do what we need to do today?" Jasmine pleaded. Finally, Mike dropped his eyes. She was right.

"My mate! We must go now!" Kujhade called for her.

"Wait, wait, wait, where the hell do you think you're going? You're not leaving me anymore Jazzy! No!" Marcus exclaimed, his voice laced with terror. He grabbed her arm, and she was surprised at the steely grip.

"I'm not leaving you, Marcus. You're coming with me. C'mon," she said simply, grabbing him by the hand and leading him to the pod. Kujhade growled softly, not liking a third wheel that he didn't authorize.

"Get over it Kujhade. He's coming with me, and that's final. We can fight over it in the kehrite, but I'm not leaving him here to die in the blast, got it?" Jasmine said, standing her ground before her burly alien husband. After a moment of growling in defiance, he whipped his tendrils, purposely smacking her in the face with the tips of them, before entering the pod. Choosing not to say anything to that little display, she stood by as Kujhade handed her his wrist bomb. It was ticking away, but slower than usual. He was giving them time. She looked at him but he only grumbled and turned away in response. She turned to Marcus.

"Okay, he's giving us a little more time than usual," she said. Astro stepped forward.

"Uh, what about us though?" He asked, concern etched over his handsome face. Jasmine looked around, then pointed towards Mar'cte and Nanku.

"They've got room, but you better hurry up, Mar'cte likes to leave on time," she answered. Astro ran over quickly. Surprisingly, Alexa tried to beat him over there, but the younger man was too fast. He shrugged as he tried to negotiate his way into the pod.

Exasperated, Alexa stood with her arms crossed. She knew the power of those bombs, and that the area needed to be cleared or else. She turned back, ready to see if Jasmine had more room, when, as usual, the Elder yautja appeared before her suddenly.

This was a moment she had been both dreading, and secretly romanticizing in her mind ever since Bouvetoya. What would her life had turned into had she gone with him, or had she been invited? She'd forced herself not to think about it, figuring it was a dangerous rabbit hole to go down. When she saw him again this time, she wondered in the back of her mind, if this time he _would_ ask her to come. Now when he held out his large hand in an inviting way, Alexa simply stared at it. This was the moment of truth. In his way, a very universal way which could not be misunderstood, he was asking her to come with him. Her heart hammered in her chest, even as the countdown in her head ticked away. Finally, she forced herself to look him in the face. Of its own volition, her hand moved to place itself into his larger one. Instantly, he closed it, trapping her hand in his fist. The heat coming from him was uncomfortable, as Alexa found herself lifted up and then over his shoulder, caveman style. He hurried to his pod, and set her gently inside, before turning to set his own gauntlet and toss the bomb into the street below. He then entered the craft himself, his large body taking up the majority of the space inside. Alexa glued her eyes to the horror below.

Marcus turned to Mike, who seemed both angry and saddened. He understood the feeling.

"You coming with us, man?" Marcus asked Mike. The older man set his jaw, trying to hide his tears, and looking away.

"No," he said.

"You can't stay here, you'll die Mike," Marcus tried.

"I don't care,"

"Fuck that, yes you do care Mike. At least let us take you out of the city. My sister says these are like nukes or something. The whole city will be… you know," Marcus offered. Mike turned to him angrily.

"Say it! Go ahead and say it! The city will be completely destroyed, and it's all their fucking fault, including your precious sister!" Mike screamed, pointing an accusing finger in Jasmine's direction. He saw Marcus' features harden.

"We don't have time for this bullshit. You either come on right now, or stay here and get blown to fucking smithereens, your choice," Marcus said, and on cue Jasmine tossed both her and Kujhade's bombs down. Her mask regarded Mike coolly as she gently grabbed Marcus by the arm and led him away. He went willingly. Soon after, Mike went to the only pod which seemed to have enough room; with the Elder.

[][][][][]

The pods found their way to Kujhade's ship, which was parked in the Atlantic Ocean, just off the coast of New York. The docking was slow. It was slow enough for all of them to have a front row seat to the destruction of the iconic city. The humans watched in crippling sadness, as the skyline shattered and fell. There was no flash of light, and no sound. It was like watching the movie 2012 in silent slow motion. The waves that battered the ship were spectacular, as the islands crumbled into Hudson Bay. Jasmine, Marcus, Astro, Alexa, and Mike plastered themselves to the windows of the respective vessels, unable to turn away. Alexa sobbed openly, powerless to help herself. Mike tried to comfort her, but the Elder was having none of it, as he made himself a physical barrier between the two humans. Alexa had no choice but to cling to the yautja, as her emotional storm hit and passed over her. Thwei rumbled quietly, purring all the while, and allowing the small female to curl herself onto him.

Kujhade was doing much the same, purring to calm his life mate. He tried to imagine what he would feel to watch any part of Yaut Prime be destroyed by hard meats. He began to stroke her hair, as she removed her mask. Finally, she turned and buried her head in his chest.

[][][][][]

It seemed just about over. In less than thirty minutes, the most famous city in America, and the very fabric of the country itself had been forever changed. Mike, had resisted the urge to sob, but he didn't want to be cooped up with any alien for a moment more than he had to.

"I have to go back. Take me back. I'm not going into space," Mike said flatly, to no one in particular, but the elder understood that he was being addressed. Without any words, Thwei set a course back towards the land, or what was left of it. Only a few minutes it took, to be back over the state of New York. The five islands were gone, the ocean reclaiming that area quickly, as the remnants of the city washed into the open waters. Alexa didn't have the heart to keep looking. They landed some miles outside the city, in an unpopulated area. The vessel touched down, and Mike scrambled out of it as fast as possible. Alexa, much to the chagrin of Elder Thwei, followed him out.

As soon as they were both out, Alexa got in front of Mike. He turned his face.

"Listen, I know what it feels like, alright? You're not the only one feeling this loss. I still can't believe it. I keep hoping I'll wake up and it'll be just a nightmare, but,"

"Well, it's not a fucking nightmare Lex! This is real life! These fuckers, that everyone is so ready to leave off with, came here and destroyed a part of Earth, and now they just get to ride off into the sunset like shit didn't just happen, like lives weren't just obliterated!" He stormed at her. She blanched, tears standing in her brown eyes like crystals.

"That's not fair," she whispered in a small voice. "You should come,"

"Listen to me, and you listen good Lex. I will never, EVER, go anywhere with any damn alien. As much as I hate that they'll get away with this, someone still has to pay, and I have to be the one to make them pay. Weyland is behind it too, and are no less responsible for any of this. Someone has to bring the fight to them, while you and Jasmine and the rest, ride off with your yautja saviors," he said, and stormed off.

Alexa opened her mouth to speak, to shout something behind him, but she could think of nothing. Instead, her mouth opened and closed a few times, like a fish out of water. She angrily wiped the remaining tears from her face, and turned resolutely back towards the pod, where the predator was patiently waiting. She didn't want to talk to him either. Mike's words had made a lump of guilt plant itself in her throat, and she was hard-pressed to swallow it. In silence, except Thwei's constant purr, they returned to the main ship and docked.

* * *

 **A/N: Okay, so here it is. The monster ending that I hope you all deserve after such a long wait. I apologize for that wait, as I never intended that to be the case. At this point, I'm just hoping you all are still interested in it enough to even read it. I thank you all so much, for sticking with me and this story. I know it's long, but it was either put in all in one chapter, or never finish it. Up next is the much needed epilogue, and I'm wondering if any of you would be interested to read one or two deleted scenes. These are parts of chapters that I wrote, but then realized they didn't fit with what I had already written, or moved the story in another direction. Tell me if you'd be interested in reading something like that, just for shits and gigs. Again, thank you all so much! Love you :D**


	27. Epilogue

**Epilogue**

One full day had passed, and the humans were still stunned. Jasmine, Marcus, and Alexa had refused to enter the ship proper until it was finished. Kujhade informed them, that they must perform a sweep of the area and the surrounding land to make sure all hard meats had been exterminated. They each took a pod, Jasmine and Marcus sharing one, Thwei taking Alexa, and Kujhade and Mar'cte taking another. The vessels were undetectable, as they flew no higher than a traffic helicopter to scan the area. Within a day, the normal military had come, and the sky was full of planes and helicopters, everyone trying to make sense of what had happened. The complete annihilation of the city left no traces of the FEMA camps or anything else. Without the benefit of being able to hear any news reports, Jasmine knew that they had to have declared this a disaster area, as well as a national day of mourning. She could not help her own tears as she stared at what equated to an empty, watery hole where her beloved city used to stand.

Altogether, they managed to scour the entire eastern seaboard, but there was no sign of alien life. The price had been more than high, but the infestation was cleared.

"I still can't believe it's gone, Marcus," Jasmine said, with sorrow in her voice. She was peering out over Florida, working their way back north towards the ship. She looked over at her brother, expecting to find him moodily looking out of the window himself, but instead she found him with his head lolled back, and his eyes rolled to the back of his head. His arms and legs had stiffened, and his fists were balled so tightly, that his nails were cutting into his palms. Instantly, her heart leaped to her throat.

"Marcus! Marcus!" She called to him, using one hand to push him roughly. His head lolled to the other side, and she could see foam and spittle bubbling at his parted lips. A seizure. She didn't know what had brought it on. He'd been fine a moment ago.

Jasmine made it to the ship before anyone else. This time she cursed the slow and careful docking sequences. As soon as it was completed, she hurriedly called for the young blood Anu. He was coal black, with golden eyes. He was alerted as soon as he saw the strange human male. He had not received any word or authorization to allow an unknown human aboard.

"Who is this?!" He thundered. Jasmine shook her head, and began trying to drag Marcus from the vessel, but he proved much too heavy. T'chnde and Lijia came up next, the twins in tow.

"Help me!" Jasmine screamed at them. Although he was hesitant, T'chnde did assist, easily lifting her brother, and waiting for Jasmine's instructions.

"He's having a seizure, he needs the med-bay!" She exclaimed. He moved swiftly, with Jasmine running ahead to prepare the room.

Only moments later, Kujhade and the rest returned. Anu immediately reported to his clan leader. Concerned only for the state of his mate, Kujhade made his way to the medical bay. He found Lijia within, having already begun a scan of the human male which Jasmine had called her brother. Jasmine was standing by, hovering and getting into Lijia's way.

"Is he gonna be alright? He's gotta be alright," Jasmine pleaded. Lijia clattered her tusks, reading the scans carefully. After a few agonizing moments, Lijia did deliver her prognosis.

"It seems he is stable. His readings are strange, but otherwise he does not seem in danger of death, Jasmine," Lijia said, but her furrowed brow worried Jazzy.

"There's something you're not saying," she said matter-of-factly. Lijia seemed to still be carefully studying the medical readouts she had received from the med-bay scans. Finally, she looked at her clan sister.

"You say this is your brother, correct?"

Jasmine nodded.

"Hmm, he will live, have no worried for that. There is some mystery here that I cannot discern yet, but when I do, I will share it with you," Lijia said, and turned back to Marcus. She ran several more scans, but otherwise he looked fine. At least he wasn't having seizures anymore.

Jasmine wanted to protest that, but it was obvious something had happened to him on a physical level. He was huge, and he was strong, but Jasmine had not the slightest idea why. Their reunion had happened under strenuous circumstances, and they hadn't really had a chance to decompress and talk. Now, she feared it might never happen. Unable to watch him like this any longer, Jasmine left the medical bay, and ran right into her children who jumped her.

"Mama!" They shouted, the pure joy in their voices, already making her feel better. She fell to her knees, wrapping them both in a big hug. She looked up to see Alexa staring in complete and utter shock. Jasmine smiled briefly, turning her attention back to them.

"You wanna meet somebody?" She asked them. They nodded emphatically. Jasmine stood, and beckoned them to follow. Obediently, they came behind her back to the medbay. It was empty except for Lijia, who was still deciphering the readouts.

The boys stood by, looking with wonder upon the strange human.

"That's mama's brother, Mili. Just like Yinde is your brother," she explained to them. They nodded in full understanding.

Alexa was still standing in awe. First, those little baby predators had run up to Jasmine and called her "mama". They didn't look mixed with a single ounce of humanity, so they couldn't be children she birthed. Next to her, the elder predator trilled. He had removed his mask, which she wasn't quite expecting, and seemed to be amused about something. He spoke, but Alexa could only hear clicks, ticks, and the occasional growl that seemed to have at least a little structure to them. As if they could have been words, but she would never understand it. After she only stared dumbfounded, he seemed to become a little annoyed, and turned his head.

"I think you need a translator," Jasmine said, as she walked back up to Alexa.

"You can say that again, but I'm afraid of what I might hear," she said half-jokingly. Jasmine gave a small smile.

"Come on, Lijia is great with putting them in, you won't feel a thing," Jasmine said, and led the way back to Lijia.

[][][][][]

In the following days, Elder Thwei remained with Kujhade's clan, in close orbit around the Earth. A more complete scan revealed no activity, and this time was used to see to Marcus' recovery. On the second day after his seizure, which by all accounts had been a grand mal, Marcus had awakened. Lijia reported that he had never entered a coma, he was simply asleep. He seemed to have grown yet again, standing at 6'8" this time, but no other physical changes could be seen.

He was introduced to Jasmine's children, which shocked him terribly. He stood aloof, not knowing what to think. He would never forget the look in her eyes, the moment he seemed to stand back or be disgusted. She cast them down, and slowly began to gather her children, perhaps to shoo them away. Marcus didn't want that. She had been through things he had yet to understand, but he loved her fiercely, now more than ever since they only had each other. So, instead of allowing himself to react on his first impulse, he reached for them. With much encouragement from Jasmine, the boys did go hesitantly over to Marcus, constantly looking back at Jasmine for reassurance that it was alright. Finally, they allowed themselves to be touched as he leaned down to pat their heads.

"What's your name little man?" Marcus asked the albino one first. He was surprised by the clarity of their speech.

"My name Mili. That Yinde. That mama!" He pointed out each individual. Yeyinde stood back a little more, lightly growling.

"Yeyinde, be nice," Jasmine encouraged. He looked up at her and pouted, but also stepped just a tiny inch closer to Marcus. When Marcus rubbed his head, he allowed it a little, then flared his mandibles and ran back to Jasmine, clinging to her leg.

Marcus stood, watching Mili cling to Jasmine's leg as well. She was smiling broadly, proud that he had accepted it.

"Yeyinde used to be named Marcus. Hope you don't mind," she said, shyly. He smiled in spite of himself.

"You were thinking about me?" He asked needlessly.

"I never stopped," she said, trying not to get emotional. He came close, and hugged her.

"Now, you gotta show me where the food is. Starving," he said.

"And you have to explain to me why my little brother is nearly as tall as my husband," she said, interlacing their fingers as they walked to the ship's cafeteria. He simply nodded, as they walked in companionable silence.

Astro greeted them at the door, his mouth full of food. Apparently, according to him, the food was strange but some of the best he'd ever had. Also - and this was told to Marcus in the utmost of secrecy – that the young female yautja who had been tasked with watching his every move, had been turning him on in the strangest of ways. She was sexy, he told Marcus, who only shuddered in disgust, and that he had found himself saddled with confused boners on a daily basis. True to his report, Nanku tailed them everywhere on the ship. Jasmine showed them around, but Astro was the more adventurous of the two, going everywhere, even to places he was not allowed. Mainly done just to make Nanku speak, even if everything she said was a threat of bodily harm.

[][][][][]

Six days after the complete destruction of New York city, they left Earth's orbit. Having done all the standard sweeps to make sure that the threat had indeed been eradicated, Kujhade's ship once again docked upon Thwei's own. Naturally, the humans stuck more or less close to each other. As adventurous as Astro was, even he realized that he could not wander aimlessly around without strict supervision.

Kujhade and Elder Thwei each reported back to the matriarch about the success of the mission, understanding that it would take seven or eight rotations at best, to reach her. She would need to reply with express consent before they were able to leave that quadrant of space. Until then, there were only one or two other viable hunting planets available, if any hunter wanted to make use, as they awaited the matriarch's orders.

[][][][][]

 **Three Days After Kujhade's Clan Left Earth's Orbit** :

The St. Lawrence River. No one gave it much thought unless you worked the barges, and were headed to one of the major ports cities lined along the coasts of one of the Five Great Lakes; Lake Ontario, Lake Erie, Lake Superior, Lake Huron, and Lake Michigan. The St. Lawrence river fed the great lakes from the Atlantic Ocean. There were a number of smaller inland lakes and tributaries branching off from this main system, which bordered both Canada and the United States. It was miles and miles from where she'd began, but Bouvetoya made the arduous journey from the labs of NYC, to the shores of the great port city, Chicago Illinois.

Not needing food or sleep, Bouvetoya, the Xenomorph empress, swam tirelessly upstream. The marine life within the lakes, instinctively steered clear of her, and the humans in their ships, barges, and leisure boats, were none the wiser to her presence. When she finally grew tired, she made landfall along the gold coast of downtown Chicago. The Windy City, or the City of Big Shoulders as it was sometimes called, was now host to its catastrophic downfall. It had parked itself just beneath Navy Pier, a place bustling with tourists and natives alike during the summer, and the actual Navy during the winter and fall months. The empress' instincts had led her here more than any form of fatigue, which was finally starting to set in. A large number of viable hosts, meant a brood could be spawned here, and that was all that mattered now.

She had been utterly shut off from any connection with the previous hive, and deep within her was now a sense of vulnerability. She realized that she could in fact be hurt, and this made the birthing of a new brood of paramount importance, but first. Bouvetoya swam underneath the large pier. Above, she could sense the presence of many, but also the presence of bright sunlight. Below, within the foundation of the pier itself, were several craggy spaces large enough for her to enter them. After some searching, she did find a cave like space where the water did not reach. There was only a small pool on the floor of the largest cavern which was not very large. It was not a true cave, but it would have to do for now. Bouvetoya crawled along the rocky wall to the ceiling, and curled in on herself. For now, sleep. Later, food and then she would have the strength needed to bring forth all her children.

[][][][][]

Cynthia Weyland was seated in the plush confines of her Gold Coast condo. The white shag rug was warm and soft under her feet, as she watched in horror, the destruction of New York in 4K Ultra HD. She sat her drink down on the bright red coffee table, and wrapped her arms around herself, as she curled up on her winter white suede sectional. It was horrible, and she had no doubt that not only had the hive gotten out of control, but that the yautja were responsible for this destruction. The other thing that she knew, was that Bishop had met his end, and so had the old antiquated board of directors. Despite the carnage on the screen, Cynthia found a smile curling the edge of her lips. She uncurled herself and grabbed her cell phone and made an important call. When that was done, she grabbed her Michael Kors clutch, and her Manolo Blahnik pumps and raced out of the door.

One thirty-minute ride later, had her pulling up outside of the Weyland-Yutani Research Center of Bioengineering and Genetics, just north outside the city. She flashed her credentials to the gate guard, who waved her in with a smile, and drove inside. They had fired her, but only for show. The board had no real legal right to fire a Weyland from a company that bore her name.

Once inside, her expensive heels clicked importantly down the well-polished halls. It took several minutes of vetting, fingerprint and retinal scanning to get into the genetics hall. She passed the laboratory itself, had to verify through yet another set of steel security doors, and kept on to the executive only elevator bay. Only senior level officials of the company had access or even knowledge of this area within the facility.

"Ms. Weyland," the guard greeted her with a smile. She returned it in kind.

"Good afternoon Mr. Reynolds. It's been a while," Cynthia said, in a friendly tone. The guard only gave another smile, and returned to sit at his station.

She'd entered upon a refrigerated room. It was circular, with a catwalk extending to the middle. From the middle platform, five smaller catwalks fanned out ending at the doorway to a chute-like structure. The walls were covered from top to bottom with rows and rows of cryogenically frozen figures. Cynthia never liked this part. It was always creepy, but she always found herself coming back whenever the company needed to be rebuilt. At the end of the walkway on the small landing stood an information pad. Cynthia pressed a few buttons and submitted to one last retinal scan and voice recognition security measure. She was relieved to see that her credentials still worked. A robotic female voice spoke soothingly over the PA system.

"Hello Ms. Weyland. It is nice to see you again," it said.

"Hello MU-TH-UR," Cynthia replied. "I'm requesting the next in line. BW-082020 please."

"Yes, Ms. Weyland. One moment please," the voice said.

Quiet whooshing, signaling the opening and closing of doors, was the only real sound in the room. The walls, which seemed to be stationary, began to rotate until a single chamber was presented. A large robotic arm lowered from the ceiling, came down and grasped the chamber, placing it within the chute. It lowered, and after a few seconds, the locking mechanism disengaged. The freezing air within the chamber escaped, and out stepped a very naked man. Cynthia stepped up to him, and placed a hand warmly upon the man's cheek.

"Hello, Bishop. Good afternoon," she greeted him. Bishop's clone smiled and leaned into her touch.

"It is good to be awake…"

"Cynthia,"

"Cynthia," he said.

"We've got get you up to speed, but that shouldn't be too hard, now should it?" She cooed. He smiled and nodded.

"Of course not, Cynthia. What shall we learn first?" He asked as she wrapped him in a standard robe.

"A great many things, Bishop. A great many things," she said, and then led him out.

* * *

 **A/N: Ahh, the epilogue, which means the end of this installment, but oh so many questions now! Do we like what we've learned here? I hope so! Can't wait to expound on these new relationships. I've got Lex and Thwei, ? and Nanku, Marcus and Jasmine, I've got my work cut out, is what I've got. I was thinking I would do my usual, which is a short set of one shots linking one installment to the next. I don't know that those go over well though. What do you guys think, should I do some one shots for this story, or nah? I don't know, because my one shots are part of the story and are more or less required reading, but what if people don't want to read it? If I write them, I might place them in this same file, so that it won't technically be a separate story. People already come here to read this, so it might work better that way. Sometimes, there are too many scenes and they don't all fit with the flow of the story. For example, I wanted a scene where Jasmine takes a moment to shop/loot a store, but it never fit. I could never quite work it in there. Still wanna write it though, because it has the potential to be a fun scene. This is where one shots come from, basically.**

 **To answer you Myron aka, Rick, yeah Thwei is Scar's dad. I shipped Lex/Elder Pred much more than I did Lex/Scar, the first time I saw the movie.**

 **Once again, a final thanks to EVERYONE who read, faved, followed, reviewed, got mad, loved it, and stuck with me at the end. I love each of you, and hope to continue entertaining you with the crazy shit that pops into my head to write.**


	28. Deleted Scenes

**A/N: This was supposed to be the opening to this story. It took place almost immediately after the events of Blood of My Blood. However, I removed it because I felt the story needed a sufficient time jump to be effective. I liked the concept of Jasmine and the Matriarch forging a tentative relationship, but once I took it away, I was never able to revisit it again, while maintaining the course of the story. As you can see, it remains incomplete**

[][][][][]

 **Greetings Earthling**

They'd only been there for two nights. Jasmine and Kujhade had been assigned a large suite along with the boys. The suite was apparently their version of VIP. It sported a very large nesting bed where they all slept, along with bathroom facilities, and the all-important armor storage.

The couple were still fast asleep, unaware that two small stalkers had awakened. Mili and Yeyinde crawled up to their sire quietly; their predatory instincts coming to the forefront. They glanced at one another, trilling softly. Mili advanced first, creeping up on a sleeping Kujhade. He went wide around the side behind Kujhade, who was sleeping on his side holding Jasmine. Yeyinde stayed at Kujhade's feet, his little muscles bunched as if he were about to pounce. Mili trilled again very softly, and on cue Yeyinde did pounce upon Kujhade's feet. With a start, their father woke up to see his little son at his feet, small mandibles flared and a snarl in his throat. Just as he was about to rise on his elbows, Mili pounced in from the side. His mandibles were also flared aggressively, and he even took a swipe at Kujhade's face before being swept up in his father's arms. Kujhade flared his mandibles also in response, growling loud enough to establish the pecking order, but soft enough to remain playful. At the response, Yeyinde crawled up his father's legs into his lap, not wanting to be left out of the playful melee. Cackling, Mili tried to take a bite out of his dad's face while Yeyinde punched his chest.

"Agh! Jasmine, I'm under attack!" Kujhade said, laughing and tickling his boys.

Groggily Jasmine turned to see the ridiculous fight. It was hilarious to see Kujhade rolling around and the two boys "jumping" their sire. She smiled, but was also struck by the level of ferocity the babies were trying to show. They were playing, but they were also really putting forth all their little effort to fight. Kujhade finally 'defeated' them by standing up and holding each by an ankle. For some strange reason that made them docile, and they both began to purr loudly.

"I guess it's time to wake up now huh?" Jasmine asked, absently stroking Kujhade's large calf.

"Yes, it is already late. Come, Jasmine," he said, still holding the giggling, purring babies upside down as he strolled to the bathing area. Jasmine followed suit as they all bathed and got ready for whatever the day would bring.

As soon as they were all dressed, a knock came at the door of their suite. Kujhade answered, holding Yeyinde, and giving Mili a piggy back ride. He answered to the sight of one of the Matriarch's guards. He was no taller than Kujhade, with red and black brindling all over his body. He took a quick assessment of Kujhade, and grunted approval.

"The Matriarch has requested the presence of your mate and sucklings. Now" the guard said.

"We will be there," Kujhade assured. Mili and Yeyinde growled at the guard, adding their two cents.

"Not you, pale hunter. Only your mate, and your sucklings. The Matriarch is in the Great Hall," the guard said, then turned on his heels and went back to his post.

Kujhade was hesitant, but far be it from him to disobey a direct summons and order. Jasmine sidled up to Kujhade. She was dressed in a female yautja's normal garb. A floor length loincloth which covered only the very necessary bits in front. In the back, her butt cheeks were hardly covered by the narrow length of material. The belt holding it up was slung low on her wide hips, and her breasts were covered by an equally narrow piece of leather material. Her hair was curly and wild all over her head, and she'd donned the black ochre makeup over one eye. The loincloth bore no mark, as the Matriarch would not tolerate the symbol of another clan represented so openly in her home. Kujhade rumbled a purr at the sight of her.

"How do you like it?" She asked, turning around to model her outfit. He purred a little louder.

"Sei-i," he said, devouring her with his gaze. She blushed at that, happy that she could still blush when he focused his attention on her this way.

"Sooo, we going to see the Matriarch?" She asked, breaking her own self-created awkward tension.

"Not we; you and the sucklings," he told her, and watched her eyes go wide.

"Kujhade, why does she just want me? Why can't you come too?" Jasmine asked. She got nervous, and she could see the uncertainty pass over Kujhade's features before he masked it again.

"I am sure it is nothing more than to speak with you. Never has a human ever come face to face with a Matriarch, especially on our home planet. Double that for being a guest in her home," he tried to assure her. In truth, he had no idea what would happen. The situation truly was unprecedented.

"Oh. When?" She asked, still nervous over the whole idea.

"Now. Come, I will walk you to the doors, but I cannot enter with you against her orders," he said, bringing her close to his chest. She leaned her head on him.

"She scares me, Kujhade. What do I say to her, what do I do? I don't know what's disrespectful or how to behave. I'm sure I'm nothing more than prey to her, and every other yautja in that room," she admitted, her anxiety increasing with every passing moment.

"Listen. Answer her questions honestly and directly, do not look her in the eyes, and do not show fear," he instructed her, cupping her chin in his hand. "You are strong Jasmine. You have battled by my side, you have borne my pups, you have overcome many of your human weaknesses. You can speak with the Matriarch, and you will represent our clan proudly as the mate of a clan leader, and the bearer of strong males."

"Okay. I'll be strong," she said, standing up straight, and gathering her boys. Together, they strode through the long corridor. The boys toddled before their parents. They stopped to inspect the walls, and the guards. Jasmine and Kujhade had to constantly urge them along. Mili actually hissed at her for telling him to walk, right before they got to the doors of the Matriarch's throne room.

"Hey? Who're you hissing at little man?" Jasmine said, kneeling down to his level to look at him. She was rather taken aback. They'd never hissed or growled at her before, but Kujhade had warned her long ago that yautja pups challenge their bearers at early stages. He also warned that they could only be brought to heel through physical reprimand. However, they were only babies, and Jasmine didn't think they were quite prepared for that at all.

As soon as she was face to face with him, Mili poked out his lower mandibles, his version of a sad pout. He put his little head down, and hid behind his little hands. Jasmine gently cupped his small chin, and lifted his head.

"Are you mad at mommy?" She asked, soothingly. He hesitated, then nodded yes. She grabbed his tiny shoulders, and kissed the top of his broad head.

"Are you still mad at mommy?" He hesitated again, then shook his head no and reached for a hug.

"There's mommy's big boy. Now, we're going to see somebody real important, so you have to be a good boy, you and your brother okay?" She asked, unsure that he would understand. He gave her a puzzled look and another hug.

"Se, se, se, sei-i" Mili said, his little voice already raspy with an inhuman quality.

"Se, sei-i," Yeyinde chimed in, toddling over for his hug too. It warmed her heart immensely but kept it together enough not to melt into a puddle of motherly goo right there on the floor.

"Okay, mommy knows. Now come on, be mommy's big boys," she said, grabbing each by their hand and standing up.

The doors swung open, and she cast a worried glance at Kujhade, who only nodded slightly, and walked in. He stood for a moment at the doors, unable to help being concerned. This Matriarch was known to be more even-keeled and a bit less volatile than the last, so he calmed himself, and waited for her patiently.

Jasmine put on a brave face and marched towards the throne. The Matriarch was sitting there, bigger than life and regal as hell. The very picture of authority and royalty. With a single upraised hand, she stopped Jasmine in her tracks. No eye contact. That was important. Being around the yautja taught her that it was a direct challenge to authority, and that was the last thing she wanted to do here.

A long moment passed and Jasmine tried not to fidget. The Matriarch did not move, nor did she speak. She simply observed the human standing before her. Jasmine chanced a look around, and found Dteinou sitting at the Matriarch's right hand. She tried to get the enforcer's attention, but Dteinou did not so much as look her way. Jasmine was crestfallen, but could not show any emotion over it. A few more uncomfortable moments passed, until Jasmine decided to do what Kujhade had done. She dropped to one knee, a single fist to the floor and held her head down. She heard a few curious clicks as the other guards in the room looked on. Slowly, the Matriarch rose to her feet, and stepped down the short flight of stairs towards the small human kneeling in respect.

"Rise to your feet ooman," Dhi-rauta commanded. Jasmine did as she was bidden, and then waited. The boys seemed to be in awe, craning their necks back to look the Matriarch in the face.

"What is your name?" She asked Jasmine.

"Uh, Jasmine, your highness. This is little Mili, and this one is Yeyinde," she said, trying a nervous smile, then thinking the better of it. She didn't know where to look. She wanted to take a good look at Dhi-rauta's face, but dared not to look.

"These are the pups of your body?" Straight to the point.

"Yes, they are," Jasmine said, chancing a look at Dhi-rauta. She was unable to hide the pride in her voice.

When she did take a look, she was surprised not to find a hard look in the Matriarch's eyes. It was more like curiosity, and a tad bit of apprehension. Jasmine relaxed a little. Maybe she wasn't the only one feeling awkward. She shifted on her feet a few times then stopped, she couldn't show that she was so incredibly nervous.

"The pale hunter, he is your life mate then?" She asked again. Jasmine's palms started sweating, and she resisted the urge to rub them on her thighs. Just before she started to answer, the Matriarch started slowly circling her. Just to stop from fidgeting, she picked Yeyinde up, but he squirmed too bad, and she was forced to put him down. Jasmine nearly jumped out of her skin when she heard the deep rumbling laugh come from directly behind and above her.

"I was concerned he would be too much like an ooman, but I see he bears all the hallmarks of a yautjan pup. He fights with you, this is good, but you have to establish control or he will fight you all the time and view you as weak. Because you are ooman, he may even view you as prey," she instructed as she circled back around front.

"You are small, but I see you are also strong for an ooman, well built. Your breasts are still enlarged with milk. Are they still nursing you?" Again, straight to the point. On Earth, this would have been a horrific line of questioning for two people who just met. Jasmine was shocked into silence, Dhi-rauta's shadow engulfing her as she waited for a response.

"O-only when they're upset," she stammered out, then cursed herself for it.

"A yautja must learn to do without from the very earliest stages. If they live, their very survival will depend on their ability to deprive themselves of even the most basic needs for a time," she said. Jasmine did not respond, mainly because she didn't know how. She watched as the Matriarch reached down to pick up Mili by the scruff of his neck, something that was becoming more difficult to do as he got older. Dhi-rauta examined him closely. She brought him close to her face and simply stared at him.

Jasmine was even more nervous now. How would she respond if the Matriarch decided to hurt him? Well, she knew exactly how she would respond, but the better question was how to survive after responding. Jasmine glanced around the room again, the few guards aside from Dteinou were paying close attention to the strange little pup.

"This one you did not kill. Why not?" Just the question Jasmine was dreading. She took a deep breath, calming herself before answering. She looked the Matriarch in the face, although she avoided long eye contact.

"Because he's my baby. Why would I kill an innocent baby, _my_ innocent baby for no reason?" She replied.

It probably wasn't a good idea to answer a question with a question. This especially so with a being capable of killing you in a single blow for any reason. Be that as it may, Jasmine couldn't help getting into protective mother bear mode. This was not up for discussion, Matriarch or not. Dhi-rauta regarded her silently, clicking her mandibles in deep thought. Several seconds passed until the silence was broken by a soft purr. Sensing tension, Mili had begun to purr at Dhi-rauta. He reached out and grabbed one of her very long lower tusks, and continued to purr at her. Jasmine could hear the sharp intakes of breath all around at the display. Her heart was beating a mile a minute in her chest, afraid of what would happen, and what she might have to do at that point. She gripped Yeyinde's hand a little tighter.

* * *

 **A/N: This next was to be an alien murder scene. It would have been cool too, except it made no sense. If the compound was underground, and the Xenomorphs had escaped it, why would they end up on the coast? Wouldn't it have made more sense that the next place to hide would be the sewers? Hence, this scene was scrapped, but I still thought it was pretty cool. Enjoy!**

[][][][][]

 **Alien Kill Insert:**

Twelve hours later, Samantha Putnam was enjoying winding down from a fun-filled eighteenth birthday. She'd gone shopping earlier with money gifted to her from her grandparents, she'd mingled with her close family and friends at her surprise party, and now she was hanging out at the beach with her boyfriend Aaron, his friend Matt, and Matt's girlfriend Jamie whom Samantha didn't particularly like, but was tolerating in the name of good vibes and fun.

The night was cool but not unbearably so. The beach wasn't empty as a few couples were scattered along its length. Way at the far edge near the craggy rocks which stretched off towards the north, were the makeshift tents of the homeless which often made camps there at night. Usually, the police would come by and harass them, and tonight would be no different, but Samantha was not concerned with that. She was concerned with snuggling up with the boy she could see herself marrying in a few years. They sat back to front, and gazed lovingly up at the stars.

"So, you still heading off to Michigan St.?" Samantha asked Aaron. She wanted to avoid this conversation, but found that she could not. Behind her, Aaron tried not to roll his eyes.

"I told you I was invited there for the football program Sammy, I don't wanna go over this again. Can't we just sit back, relax, and do THIS!" He exclaimed, tickling her until she begged him to stop. Eventually she ended up on her back with Aaron on top. Before she could come back to her potentially argumentative question, he kissed her as passionately as an eighteen-year-old boy could manage. The large blanket they were on shifted, as Matt and his girlfriend began making out too.

Samantha wanted to come back to the burning question of his school choices, but when the best linebacker on the high school football squad has you in his muscular grip on your birthday, you swallowed those questions and you made out with him. Just as his hand was snaking its way underneath her Hello Kitty tank top, a high-pitched screech floated on the wind to them.

"She must've liked that A-rod!" Matt joked, taking a quick breather from devouring Jamie's neck to giggle at his own joke.

"Shut up idiot!" Sam laughed, swatting at Matt and missing. The ensuing giggling and playing was cut off by yet another screech rending the air, this time a little closer.

"Stop for a second babe," Sammy said, raising up on her elbows and looking towards where the sound seemed to come from. Aaron glanced up briefly, but he had since freed one of her breasts, and was nibbling on it lightly, when she tapped his shoulder to make him stop. The only thing that finally drew his attention away from his girlfriend was the sound of other screams. These seemed human, but they also seemed to be cut very short.

All four friends were looking towards the north end of the beach where the homeless people usually huddled up. They could see the flash of police lights from the top of a single cruiser. Samantha looked the other way, and saw that the other people were also alerted, with a few of them packing up their belongings to leave. They were leaving in a hurry as well, making their way to the small parking lot near the southern end of the beach. Samantha relaxed back down, somewhat mollified by the presence of the police car. Surely, whatever the disturbance was they could handle it.

They didn't go all the way, but they had certainly ended up somewhere between second and third base with each other. About twenty or thirty minutes had passed since that weird screaming, and Samantha was nearly overheated. She and Aaron had made plans to go back to his place since his mother was gone on a business trip, and no one would be around. Sammy had agreed under the condition that she come home at some point before her mother declared her a missing person. All four of them sat up and finished the beers they had. Sam had nursed just the one, but Matt had put away more than a few and was drunk. Jamie wasn't much better.

"Cops still over there?" Matt asked no-one in particular. Samantha had forgotten all about that, but now that she looked the cruiser was still there, lights flashing, but all was now quiet. Aaron's brow was raised as he looked towards the cruiser. The lights flashing silently, bathing the rocks and beach around it in alternating blue and red, was eerie and set his hackles on edge.

"C'mon, let's check it out," Matt announced getting up, stumbling a little, then righting himself before helping his girl to her feet.

"Uh how about let's not? Whatever it is, it's not our business," Sammy said. The protest was light enough, but inside her alarm bells were slowly starting to go off one by one.

"C'mon Sam, you got your big football boyfriend to protect you, don't be such a lame ass," Jamie chimed in. Sammy could have done without her input, and the obvious roll of her eyes, said as much.

"Let's just get going, we got stuff to do don't we Sam?" Aaron, said nipping Sammy on her throat for good measure before helping her fold the large blanket. Matt and Jamie were content to stand by and let them do the work, while they downed the rest of the beer and threw the bottles towards the ocean.

"Such a fucking 'tard Matt," Sammy commented, but it was half-hearted. She was gathering things as quickly as she could. Those alarm bells were officially ringing off the hook, and suddenly she wanted to be anywhere but here. Suddenly, she felt exposed and vulnerable.

"And you're a bitch," Matt shot back and laughed. It died in his throat once he saw the look Aaron was giving him. He outweighed Matt by at least seventy pounds, so the drunk best friend shut his mouth after mumbling an apology. Finally, they started to move towards the parking lot, when one shot rang out, then a second. It was a loud cracking sound which bounced off the rocks and rang clear through the air. They all looked at each other, wide-eyed and silently asking each other if they'd heard what they thought they heard. Aaron fished around in his jean pockets and handed Sammy his keys and the blanket.

"You guys go to the car, I'm gonna see if that cop is alright," he said and was moving in that direction when Sammy grabbed his arm.

"No, Aaron let's just go! We can call it in later, or he can call it in himself but let's get the hell out of here," she pleaded, pulling him with her but failing. He looked at her for a moment. Her long blond hair was obscuring her face, but he could see how upset she was.

"Sammy, I'll be alright. My dad's a cop, I know how to call it in if I need to alright," he said removing her hand from his arm.

"For fuckssakes Aaron you don't have to be a fucking hero cause your dad's a cop, let's just go!" she pleaded but he was already a few yards away trotting towards the cruiser.

"You heard the man Sammy, let's just wait in the car," Jamie offered. Sammy gave her one distressed look, then trotted off behind her boyfriend. Shrugging, Matt grabbed Jamie's hand and stumbled along after them.

The cruiser was sitting there idling, lights still flashing, driver's door open wide. There were a couple of ragged tents, a cardboard box, and an old raggedy vinyl tarp which all seemed to have been tossed by a mini hurricane. The only thing missing was the people. Aaron got out his phone and turned on its flashlight, then promptly bent over and threw up. It stank of beer and half-digested sub sandwiches.

"Oh my god!" Sammy shrieked, biting back nausea of her own. Matt and Jamie did the same upon viewing the carnage before them. Blood splattered everything. The ground, the tents, the side of the car, and the rocks just a yard or so away all had blood on them. There were no people, but there certainly were _parts_ of people strewn about like garbage. A foot, two hands, an arm, some skin that Aaron couldn't and didn't want to identify the source of. As he used his phone light to scan the scene, there seemed to be drag marks going off in one direction; towards the tall craggy rocks.

"Aaron, we have to get out of here. We have to—What the hell are you doing?" Samantha asked. She was nearing the edge of panic, and was holding it at bay with only sheer force of will. Aaron had reached inside the open cruiser and grabbed a 9mm from underneath the dashboard. Standing up, he checked the clip for ammo, seemed satisfied that it was full, and slapped it back into the gun.

"How'd you know that was in there?" Matt asked, all the drunken slur gone from his voice. Fear had sobered both him and Jamie.

"My dad told me most cops keep a gun off the books in the car," he answered. He started in the direction of the drag marks, being sure to step over any wayward body parts.

"Aaron, please," Samantha begged, her eyes impossible wide with fear. "Let's leave, I'm begging," she said, hands clasped before her in a pleading gesture.

"Yeah, man we gotta get—What was _that_!" Matt yelped, scrambling for his own phone flashlight. He finally fumbled it out of his pocket and aimed the beam upwards. Jamie tried to wrap herself around him as she stared all over the rocks, trying to see whatever he was looking for, and not wanting to see it at all. His beam caught a glimpse of _something_.

"Yeah I saw it too. Sammy, wait in the car with Jamie. Matt come with me," he ordered, and this time Sammy didn't argue. Miserably she trudged to the cruiser, followed by a visibly shaken Jamie. They locked the doors, but Aaron would not forget the haunted look in Sam's eyes as she stared out at him from the car. Matt followed reluctantly. Every intuition he had was screaming at him not to take another step in this direction, but he and Aaron had been best friends since the third grade, and his loyalty would not allow him to abandon his friend. He would pay for that with his life shortly.

There was nothing but silence in the cab of the cruiser. Neither girl said anything. Nothing could be heard but their fearful panting breaths, as they tried to watch for anything in every direction. Jamie's eyes kept darting over the rocks, standing taller in the darkness than they had ever stood in the light of day.

"There's s-something on the r-rocks… Sam. S-something on the rocks," Jamie started to repeat like a mantra, voice trembling on the verge of tears.

"Shut it, Jamie! Just shut it!" Sammy said, with a little more anger than she'd meant. The truth was that if Jamie started in with the hysterics, she wouldn't be far behind. Just then something did catch her eye. It was quick, like a shadow. She told herself it was just the play of shadows because of the flashing cruiser lights, but in her heart, she knew it was not so. Jamie must have seen it too, because she hushed instantly and went rigid in her seat. It seemed that they had even held their breath, and then suddenly the distinctive crack of the 9mm reverberated through the air. A second, then third shot, then silence. It was as if that sound had kick-started Sammy's heart, because it was hammering so hard she thought she would literally die of a heart attack.

"We gotta go Sam! Go! Go!" Jaime screamed, reaching for the wheel as if that would make the car go. Before Sammy could react, something slammed into the side of the car so hard on the passenger side, that the cruiser raised a bit off the ground, then rocked on its springs hard. It felt like an 18-wheeler had hit them going 80 mph. Both girls screamed like banshees in the night, but the second slam from the back knocked the wind from Sammy as her chest connected with the steering wheel. Jamie' head whipped forward, slamming on the dashboard, and knocking her out cold.

An otherworldly screech rent the air and sent ice into Sammy's heart, and this time it did stop beating for a few seconds longer than it should have. Another slam, this time on the driver's side and it drove the door inward. Shards of glass flew everywhere and one piece buried itself in her left cheek, while metal from the caved in door dug into her. She barely had time to register the warm spread of blood on her side before looking into the mouth of a monster her brain would not get the chance to decipher. Obsidian talons ripped the rest of the tattered door from the hinges, and dug painfully into her, dragging her from the confines of the car. It screeched again, this time right next to her ears, and she temporarily went deaf. Vaguely she recalled seeing Jamie be pulled from the car on the other side. The other girl could only groan in agony, but Samantha could not see what was to be Jamie's fate. She looked up into the jaws of a monster pulled from somewhere worse than a nightmare. The silvery teeth were dripping with drool, and impossibly, another mouth emerged. Samantha Putnam swooned in the arms of a monster.

Jamie regained consciousness just as she felt talons as long and as sharp as any dagger, pierce her shoulder and midsection. She was ripped from the car, and some primal instinct made her start fighting. Jamie was all arms and legs as she kicked and punched at what was holding her. Her eyes were closed against it. On some subconscious level she must have known that seeing it, actually _seeing_ what had her, would drive her insane. She might not have been able to fight if she went crazy, so she fought blindly. Whatever it was, it must not have liked her struggling very much. It screeched, then she felt a very brief sting on her right shoulder. It took her brain a few seconds to register that her right arm had been simply ripped off.

 _Like I used to rip the wings off flies, me and my brother,_ she thought crazily just seconds before the white hot, blinding pain hit her.

Jamie opened her eyes. Hot tears streamed down her face, and her mouth formed a perfect "O", but she could make no sound. The unimaginable terror, the horrible pain of losing her arm and all her other injuries, and the surety of her death had robbed her of her voice. Finally, she _did_ look. Jamie looked this creature dead in its eyes.

 _There are no eyes! It has no fucking eyes!_ She thought, and Jamie Masterson – who had thought of nothing but partying, boys, and her dream of becoming a kick-ass tattoo artist – went completely insane. The scream erupted then, and would continue until a face hugger wrapped itself around throat choking off the sound.

Samantha awakened to the sound of the surf crashing against the rocks. The darkness around her was absolute, but the hairs on the back of her neck stood at attention. She wasn't alone. She blinked rapidly to make her eyes adjust, but when they finally did, her heart broke into millions of tiny pieces.

"Aaarrroooon! Oh goooooooodd!" Samantha screamed, breaking down into racking sobs. Her boyfriend had been suspended across from her with a large bloody hole where his chest used to be. Next to him, the police. Still crying she managed to move her head to see that she was also plastered to the wall along with Matt, Jaime, and what was maybe the homeless people from the beach earlier. Another wail was about to erupt until she cast her eyes upwards, and it died in her throat. A long membranous tube-like structure stretched from the floor, up a wall, and nearly half way across the ceiling. It seemed to end abruptly, but that was a trick of the eye. Something large moved, and the Sammy saw a wide maw of jagged silvery teeth again. It hissed in her direction, and seemed to be looking at her although it had no eyes that Sammy could see. As if it was calling to something, it hissed again and a pain so violent struck Samantha, until she could not even scream. Her last conscious thoughts were of Aaron, then her parents, and then inexplicably one word imposed itself in the front of her mind, and there was no escaping its mysterious truth nor its finality;

Queen.


	29. One Shot: The Talk

**The Talk**

Jasmine took a deep breath before knocking on Marcus' door. It took only a moment before it slid open. She gave him a bright smile, and stepped in as soon as he invited her with a sweep of his hand. It was all quiet on the ship, and everyone else was presumably asleep. Jasmine looked around at his few belongings. His couple of shirts and pairs of pants, were tossed casually on the floor next to the cot. She smiled, watching as he plopped back down on the cot and patted a seat next to him.

"What are you grinning about Jazzy?" He asked, managing to sit cross-legged on the bedding.

"This is just how you've always kept your room, junky as hell," she said, still smiling and taking in the sight of him. He still had his baby face, but on a tall, muscular frame that she was still trying to get used to. He shrugged broad shoulders and patted the cot next to him again.

Jazzy hurried over, and tackled him in an embrace. They hugged a long time, now able to enjoy it without fear or being in any immediate danger. Finally, Jasmine sat next to her brother, and looked him over closely. She rubbed his head, and stroked the side of his face. Eventually, he pulled away with a shy smile.

"What?" He asked, but he could have guessed.

"What happened Marcus? I don't mean with mom and all that, you told me that stuff. I mean, what happened to you? Why are you so tall and muscular? Two years shouldn't have made you grow more than a foot in height," she asked, the concern evident behind the playful demeanor.

Marcus slumped his shoulders, and looked at his sister. He started from the beginning. From the attack in the subway, to meeting Astro, and then waking up in a strange place instead of a hospital. He then told her about his escape from the place, but not before they could inject him with some unknown concoction. They'd been giving it to him from the very first day, he told her. The last dose was likely the most potent, as all these other changes only occurred afterwards. Jasmine didn't interrupt. As he told his story, she felt all the emotions at once. The fear he must have felt facing a hard meat, the fear of waking up in an unfamiliar place, and the confusion of it all, struck her at her core.

"I'm sorry," she said. He shrugged as he fiddled with the sleeve of his sweatshirt.

"For what Jazzy? Not your fault," he said, but she wouldn't leave it at that. Jasmine scooted a little closer, and laid her head on his shoulders, wrapping him in an embrace as best she could.

"I left you Marcus. I left you to deal with all that shit, from mama, on up to this alien shit, and I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to," she said.

"Yeah, but you did!" He exclaimed, jumping up from the cot. He paced the floor a little, trying his best not to start crying himself.

Jasmine's mouth worked, until she decided not to try to find words. What else did she expect? He was fourteen years old when she left, and he'd had to deal with so much since then. Of course, he would be angry with her, even if it wasn't quite logical. Emotions didn't need logic, they just needed expression. With that in mind, Jasmine simply waited.

"You left and didn't come back, and I didn't know what to feel. I didn't even know what to do with myself Jazzy!" He began. He paced the floor as he spoke.

"I thought you had died or something. I tried to get mom to care, but she didn't give a shit what happened. I went to the police, but nobody listened to me. I was just a stupid little ghetto kid, with a crackhead for a mother…..and a whore for a sister," he said, and that broke her.

Jasmine covered her face, and cried bitterly into her hands. She'd always hidden that from him. To her great shame, he had come to realize what a piece of shit his sister really was. In the process of looking for her, many disturbing truths must have been unearthed. She didn't even want to know what else he might have found, her being a prostitute was more than enough. Marcus instantly felt bad. He hadn't meant to hurt her with his words. He didn't mean to blame her for something that was apparently not her fault. Now, he felt it might have been his time to listen. He came and kneeled before his sister, and grabbed her hands from her tear-streaked face. He held them in his own, and reached one hand to wipe her tears.

"I always tried to hide that from you Marcus," she said between sobs. She then tried to get herself together enough to speak clearly.

"I never wanted to you be ashamed of me for what I had to do to survive. The night I left the house, I wandered the streets for a while. I decided that I should probably get cleaned up or something, you know, get you outta there away from mama," she said, stopping to wipe her eyes and clear her throat.

"I got to that outreach place, and went to sleep. When I woke up again, I was on a spaceship, although I didn't even know it at the time. I had to slowly find that out. I was so scared Marcus. I didn't know what to do. I didn't have anybody, nobody to tell, nobody to help me. The only thing I could think about was how I left you behind. How you would think I just left on purpose. I couldn't stand it Marcus," she said, finally looking him in his eyes. She took a big sniff, and lowered her eyes.

"Do, do you hate me Marcus?" The question hung in the air, and it was only in that moment, when he realized just how guilty she'd felt for everything. He grabbed her face.

"I would never hate you Jazzy. I love you, and I know you wouldn't have left if you coulda helped it. I'm just glad you're still alive. That was my biggest fear, that you left me alone, not because you ran away or anything, but because you died and didn't take me with you. I just wanted to be with you, no matter where it was. I guess, I got my wish, right?" He said, smiling through tears. Jasmine seemed shocked and relieved all at the same time. She clung to his neck, and buried her face in his shoulder.

"I love you Marcus," she said, as he stroked a hand through her long, puffy hair.

"I love you too Jazzy. Now, we gotta stop crying. Starting to feel like a little bitch," he said, pulling away and smiling brightly. He was happy to see a smile on her face as well. He sat next to her, a comfortable silence settling over them, although she could feel he had more questions.

"You love him, Jazzy, or you're forced to love him?" He asked. It was more than a fair question. It deserved an honest answer.

"I love him so much, and my little babies too. It was all so weird, because it definitely didn't start like that. They're different, but there's a lot that's sort of the same."

"Is it a one-way street? How do you know how he feels?"

"That took a lot of work, not gonna lie. There were a few times that I doubted it, to be honest. He's hard to read, and he doesn't like to talk. They don't think much of talking about shit like their feelings. Things are to be understood and done, not talked about. I don't know if I'm explaining that right," she said.

"Nah, it's cool. I get it. I can't see none of them sitting around getting in touch with their feminine side, not even the damn girls," he said, as they both shared a laugh.

"Speaking of girls, you know Nanku lowkey likes you, right?" Jasmine asked, enjoying the shocked, and slightly disgusted look on his face.

"Who the fuck is Nanku?" He asked.

"The girl predator that follows you around all day, stop acting like you don't know," she said, poking him playfully.

"Oh hell no! Not fucking that thing Jazzy. I don't even know how _you_ do it. They're ugly, all of them. Well, the babies are almost cute….almost. That's really just because they're half you though," he said, then had to duck a swat to the head.

"Hey, my babies are the cutest!" She said, knowing he meant no harm. It was a lot to take in, and he was doing fine so far.

"Are you still a virgin?" She asked out of the blue. His eyes nearly fell out of his head.

"Why you gotta be all in my business?! I got plenty of girls trying to get at me, fuck outta here," he said dismissively. Jasmine wasn't moved.

"Just because you're a virgin doesn't mean you gotta be scared of sex. It also doesn't mean you have to have sex with Nanku, especially your first time," she teased.

"No, I am not having this conversation with my sister. Let Astro deal with it, he already told me he think it's sexy."

"She, he thinks _she's_ sexy. Nanku is a female Marcus, but if you say that in front of them, and they think it's an insult, they don't have any qualms about confronting you physically, and I can't help you if that happens," she said. She was still sort of smiling, although she meant the warning. He seemed to stop to consider it.

"Am I gonna have to get jumped in, like a gang?" He asked suddenly. She laughed, but then considered it. He wasn't too far off.

"Not the way you think, but if you want to be considered part of the clan, you have to prove worthy and strong enough. If you stick around, which I have no intention of letting you out of my sight, then yeah, you'll have to go through a trial," Jasmine said, and waited for his response.

"I take it I have to fight in this trial?" He asked.

"Yeah, but not like a one on one fight. More like you have to prove you can hunt and kill, but that can wait. I don't wanna talk about that right now."

"Did you do one of these?" He asked, his earlier grin dying as she nodded in the affirmative. She didn't seem to be playing at all.

"It's pretty much everything we just went through, just perhaps in a little more controlled way. Just a little. Like I said, I don't wanna talk about that right now," she said, as she got to her feet and stretched.

"One thing though. I still don't know what they did to me Jazzy. You think, you think these aliens can help me figure it out?" He asked as they both got to the door.

"We'll ask Lijia. She's like the doctor or whatever. Maybe she can tell you what's up. She seemed like she found something out after your seizure. By the way, how are you after that? Do you even remember it?"

"I don't remember the seizure, but I feel better. Before, I felt like I wasn't myself. I felt like, I was losing myself, or turning into somebody else. I kept having all these violent thoughts. Jazzy, I didn't mind killing those people," he said solemnly. "I still don't."

Jasmine thought about that for a little bit. Sounded similar to her own experience. It wasn't as difficult to kill people as she once would have imagined. She still didn't know if that made her a bad person or not, and with the life she was now leading, she wondered if something like 'being a bad person' was even anything that mattered anymore. Instead of getting lost in that, she simply gave him one last hug.

"We'll look into it, and don't feel too bad. We're just surviving, like we always do Marcus," she said, and was thankful to see relief in his eyes.

"See you tomorrow big head," he called behind her, before pushing her out, and sliding the door closed to her playful protests. She could hear him giggle behind the door, and it brought a smile to her face. Her steps were a little more buoyant as she made her way back to Kujhade's bed.

* * *

 **In Loving Memory**

 **of**

 **Brandon "Issy" Davis**

 **My Baby Brother**

 **02/13/90 - 08/16/17**

* * *

 **A/N: Just wanted to give a little one shot. There may be more to come. This one I found especially difficult to write, because recently my little brother passed away. I borrowed so heavily from our own relationship to create the interactions between Jasmine and Marcus, until it took me several times, to compose myself. Not any action, but a necessary conversation I believe. What do you want me to address in the next one shot? I'm open to suggestions perhaps.**


	30. One Shot: Adjustment

**Adjustment**

As bone tired as she was, Alexa could barely sleep. Everything was wrong. The fact that New York had been so utterly destroyed, the fact that she was now on a predator ship hurtling through space, and last but not least, the fact that she had been summoned to sleep in rather close proximity to the elder clan leader. She had been firm in her decision not to sleep in his actual bed, choosing instead to take rest in what could only be described as an empty storage area, no bigger than a jail cell. He seemed disappointed, but almost as if he had expected such frivolous resistance. So far, he appeared to be rather patient, but Alexa didn't know if that was his nature, or if it was because they had been preoccupied before. Patient or not, he was certainly insistent once he realized she meant not to sleep in his bed. She tried to sneak some bedding, but his loud growling and threatening posture made it clear to her, that if she was going to play hard to get, two could play that game. No sleeping with him meant no comfort.

Alexa lay, staring up at the ceiling, with its soft orange lighting. He hadn't even given her any comforts. She could only be thankful for the fact that it was warm to the point of being hot, so she hadn't a need for covers. Still, the metal floor was hard, but she vowed to endure it anyway. She thought back to just a few hours earlier.

 _Elder Thwei had motioned for her to follow him, after Jasmine and her children had gone off to do whatever it was they were doing. It was only her and the elder, and when he started off, he beckoned for her. Having nothing else to do, and nowhere else to go, she was obliged to tag along. At least, he had waited until the female predator had placed a small device behind her ear, which allowed understanding between the two species. It was a long way through corridors and dimly lit halls, to where he resided. His station as the leader was evidenced by his posher accommodations. As he passed various members of his clan, they lowered their heads in submission. Many of them raised their tusks questioningly as they spotted her tagging along behind him, but deep warning growls from the elder himself, deterred any threats or action._

 _When they finally arrived at his private quarters, a large and very imposing yautja greeted him. They exchanged words that Alexa still did not understand, translator or not, and the other alien named Lar'ja, gave her a hard stare before moving off. He seemed mildly surprised that she was even there. Even seeing her clan mark didn't seem to pique his interest either. Once he was gone, it was just her and the elder, and Alexa could feel anxiety coiling up in her gut. What would happen now? He'd made it more than clear to her, that his interests with her were romantic, however he defined that. She didn't know what he expected, but whatever it was, he would be in for a rude awakening._

 _It was just her and the elder. His private suite was much swankier than she could have imagined one such as him would have. It was minimalist as far as American style went, but for a race of beings whom Alexa had associated only with killing and death, it was pretty luxurious. It was quiet all except the soft hum of machinery and what appeared to be a ship's bridge. Beyond the bridge console and the holographic screens, was the rest of the suite. Above them, the ceiling was as clear as any glass window, and Alexa stood amazed as she watched the stars stream by. Only movement from her left, drew her attention, as she spotted the elder heading off into a hidden doorway along the left wall. Beyond it was a brighter light, but she couldn't see much before the door slid closed. Just before her, in the middle of the room was a large depression in the floor. Immediately she recognized it as a bed, as the multitude of pelts, furs, and pillows lined it all around. Not exactly Home and Gardens, but it was neat and looked comfy. To the far right of the room was a small eating area, and another closed doorway nearby. Just in front of the doorway, stood a large shelf, filled with various skulls and bones. These were trophies. She remembered they liked to take some memento of their kills to keep. She'd never been too thrilled with the idea of trophy hunting._

 _He'd been gone more than five minutes. Not wanting to make herself too welcome, but also not wanting to intrude on whatever he was doing, Alexa had to decide. She didn't want him out of her sight too long, because how else could she be prepared for whatever came next? She hoped he wasn't using the bathroom or anything, as she knew that would be a sight not soon forgotten. And with these guys, it might even be a punishable offense. With that in mind, Alexa had intended to ease her way into the door he'd disappeared through, but when she got to it, it opened with a loud whoosh._

 _He turned quickly, but upon realizing it was only her, settled back down. He was sitting on a metal cot, naked from the waste up. He was bleeding from several wounds all along his chest, stomach, and back. His long grey tendrils flowed down his back as he worked diligently on closing his injuries. Timidly, Alexa came closer, wanting so much to see exactly what he was doing and how he was doing it. He paused to watch her approach. Alexa stopped, as they both locked eyes. Recalling his earlier admonishment, Alexa reluctantly dropped her gaze, but then continued to move forward. If she had to relent on the eye contact, then he was going to have to relent on letting her see. She refused to be intimidated into a state of sheer helplessness. After all, these creatures valued strength and courage, not fear and cowardice. Her intuition was correct, as he crooned at her. Perhaps this was meant to be encouraging, although it was little better than a dog's warning growl._

 _Lex stopped an arm's length away, suddenly keenly aware that she could feel his body heat even from this distance. She remembered that from Bouvet island. Scar's palpable heat in that frozen tundra had emboldened her to step close to him. Had even allowed him to mark her. Absently, she reached up and grazed her fingers along the mark on her cheek. The elder was startlingly fast. Before she could react, he'd grabbed her hand and grazed those same fingers along the old worn mark on his broad forehead. Her breath caught in her throat, as he spoke._

" _Clannnn. Miiiiine," he rumbled in English, then slowly released her hand. Lex's mind started spinning. She wasn't accustomed to being in situations where she had little to no control or at least reasonable expectations. She furrowed a smooth brown brow. What exactly had he meant by that? Did he mean, the clan was his? Or did he mean she was his because she was now part of the clan? She was about to muster up the courage to ask, when he promptly began digging into a deep gash on his side with a pair of hellish looking tongs._

 _She watched as he seemed to become frustrated at the uselessness of the tool for the job. The wound gushed blood, but he made nary a sound of distress. He grunted, as he picked through the tools on the table next to him. Lex cringed at the very sight. They looked more like instruments of torture, than of healing. She watched intently, as his large fingers and sharp talons picked delicately over the utensils. It was almost dainty the way he used the tips of his talons to get to the finer tools. He finally decided upon a pair of slimmer tongs, heating the tip over a blue flame, and going into the wound. It was at an odd angle. He could barely see it. She could tell by the way he was feeling along the edges with his fingers, and then carefully inserting the tongs. He grunted as he dug around inside, apparently unable to remove whatever was imbedded. Lex couldn't watch any more. He was sitting there probably making it worse, and not even bothering to give voice to obvious pain. She did notice however, the rapid clicks of his upper tusks upon the lower. Lex had taken a few first aid, first responder classes. Given her adventurous lifestyle, it was always a good idea to be able to act accordingly in the event of medical emergency, or sudden physical trauma. She'd even done a stint as an EMT, just to get more experience, at the behest of her late father. Instinctively, she reached for him, but he stood suddenly, and growled at her. She held her hands up in surrender._

" _Sorry, Th- th- Thwei," she said, mentally fumbling with his name. "I just want to help you, okay?" She asked. His golden eyes studied her face for a moment, tusks clicking in thought. Ever so slowly, he settled back down, and placed the bloody tongs on the table. Taking that as her green light, Lex stepped forward very deliberately, not wanting to startle him again if she could avoid it. He didn't make any moves, but he was watching her closely. She got the distinct feeling that if he didn't like where this was headed, she'd be the first and last to know about it. Lex swallowed thickly, and reached for the same utensil. In his hand it had seemed small, but in her own it was large. Still, she could handle it as it was very fine and lightweight._

 _Lex glanced up, silently taking permission. He simply stared, his thorny brow creased. He wasn't even looking at her face, he was watching her hands. With lithe fingers and a much more delicate touch, Lex inserted the tip of the tool into the wound. With her other hand, she felt around the edge, lightly putting pressure to feel for the debris within. It surprised her, when he turned a bit to give her better access. This afforded her a much-needed view, and she could clearly see a whole bullet amid his bright green flesh and blood. Momentarily putting aside the fact that this was not a normal patient, Lex slipped into EMT mode._

" _You might want to bite down on something, I can see it, but it's deep. I'll be quick," she said, as she moved carefully. Above her, Thwei grunted as she picked out the bullet. It slipped from her grasp once or twice, but she was careful not to mistakenly push it in further._

" _Got it," she said quietly, as she retrieved it. Triumphantly, she held it up. Thwei only scoffed at it, as he took it from her and placed it on the table. He then produced a wicked looking staple gun and small vac. Taking over the entire operation, Lex took it from him cleared the wound, and stapled it closed. She fussed over her handiwork a bit, before catching herself. He was staring again, and that growling croon was starting up. She took a couple steps back as he rose to his feet. He wanted to make sure all injuries had been properly seen to. Satisfied, he suddenly started removing his lower gear. Lex didn't catch on that he was stripping down to his birthday suit until he reached for his codpiece._

 _A hot blush flashed over her, as she immediately lowered her gaze. It was almost like he wanted her to look. He lingered around, as naked as you please, casually putting away all the medical utensils. Why wouldn't he either cover up or walk out, or something?! Alexa had never been a prude, but this was not a man, and she feared any sort of ogling, no matter how incredibly tempting it was, would be a greenlight for him to engage in whatever his definition of relations was with her. She hadn't consented to be in any relationship of any kind, and having one potentially foisted upon her, made her defiant. Call it what you want. Maybe, she just wanted to look, and really so what if she did? He was standing there prancing around, wasn't he? He wanted her to see what he was working with apparently, and why should she be a timid little girl? She would prove that she wasn't intimidated, sexually or otherwise, and then she'd deny him right to his face!_

 _Alexa took a deep breath, squared her shoulders, and stood up straight. There he was in all his alien male glory. Of course, he was exceptionally large. She tried not to react to that. It was impressive even though he wasn't aroused. Beyond his very obvious male-hood, Lex noticed the thick scarring all over his body. Aside from the fresh injuries, the elder predator's body told the tale of many fights and hunts he'd survived. She couldn't help but be mesmerized by the sheer number of them. Some seemed to be very old, others a little more recent. His trilling call brought her out of her own thoughts into the here and now. He was standing there waiting._

" _Lexxsss, come," he said, reaching a large clawed hand out for her to grasp. Lex looked at his hand, then inevitably trailed to his manhood, and he trilled again in response. This was absolutely crazy. Was she really standing here ogling the private parts of a huge alien male? Furthermore, she had clearly understood his overall intent, which was to have some sort of romantic relationship with her. However, at no point had she definitively said 'no' to that notion. Now, that she was confronted with the realization and the real possibility, she hesitated to decline it altogether. Crazy. This confirmed it. Alexa Woods had now officially lost her mind, because even though she had not actively thought about him in that way, it wasn't quite as unappealing as she wanted it to be._

 _She nodded curtly, but refused to take his hand. That was fine with him, as he turned a corner to a room adjacent to the med-bay. This opened upon a small room with a pool in the middle. It was like a sauna, with a medicinal scent wafting through the steamy air. Thwei entered the pool and relaxed along the side, arms outstretched along the edge. He leaned his head back and closed his eyes. The pool was just big enough for him, and if she entered it, she would have no choice but to be in full physical contact with him. Literally, she would be breast-to-chest and she wasn't ready for that at all._

 _Alexa tried to fight the thoughts that now rose to the forefront. Many times, she imagined having left with the alien crew that very night. After all, there wasn't much to go back to, after everyone was dead. She had anticipated having a hard time readjusting to her life again, but ended up becoming a whistleblower against an international company with enough power to destroy her life. It would hit her the hardest those times where she was really on the run and scared for her life, not knowing who to trust. Her mind went to Scar. He'd marked her, and there was certainly something in the air that read 'sex' to her. Seemed like the most natural thought in the world at that moment. A seven-foot alien, who had the strangest face, had marked her as his. They'd fought together, been through a harrowing experience together, and sex seemed the only way to cap off such a night. But, he'd been killed. This elder had come along while she was still feeling vulnerable and confused, and she'd attached those feelings to him instead. That's what she told herself, so she could sleep at night. And the dreams. Lex had literally dreamed about him. She'd dreamed not only of leaving with him, but being with him sexually. She'd always awakened in a state of extreme arousal, and ashamed of herself at the same time. It was wrong, wasn't it? It was wrong to be thinking of interspecies sex, and secretly hoping he would whisk her away to have an adventure that only he could give her. Now, here she was, with that very alien. He wasn't mincing any words or actions. He was being very direct, and she had expected nothing less than that from the likes of him._

" _Leexxssss, come," he said to her again. His golden eyes blazed even in the low light. It was captivating. She was rooted to the spot._

" _You smell of fear. No need to fear me Lexxsss. If we are to be mates, you must learn trust, obedience," he said in his own language. It was the first time he'd spoken in his own language, and it was strange to hear the translation in her head, but hear his native tongue with her ears._

 _He sensed it. Sensed her fear, but it wasn't one born of believing he would harm or kill her. No, it was fear of letting herself go. Fear of allowing something so strange to happen, fear of it feeling better than she thought, and fear that she might not measure up, and not really knowing what "measuring up" meant in this case. Alexa swallowed thickly, but couldn't find any words. He had once again made his terms crystal clear, and once again she did not resist or say no. Why couldn't she just say she didn't want him this way, and demand that she be sent back to Earth? Because she didn't want to do that. There was some undeniable part of her that wanted this deep down inside. Her breath caught in her throat once the realization hit her. She wanted HIM. Now that he was tangible and real before her, she could no longer deny that deep-seeded desire. She'd fantasized about him, being with him, living with him, sleeping with him. She'd prided herself on being practical, methodical, even thorough even in the midst of her adventures. This would be throwing caution to the wind, without a safety net, without a backup plan. Getting into the pool would be the first step to that. It would be the first step to letting go, and she couldn't do it. Instead, she turned on her heels, and left. She was running, and Alexa wasn't a coward, but she was definitely running._

That's when it all turned sort of sour. He came out to her waiting by the bed pit. He assumed she would accept the sleeping arrangement, since she had declined the healing pool invite, but when she also declined the bed, he became irritable. She'd pushed it too far.

For one terrifying moment, Lex thought he would command her to leave his presence. She couldn't explain why that scared her so, or rather she didn't want to explain it to herself.

As she lay there staring at the ceiling, she dared to speak it aloud.

"I want him," she whispered, and it sent a shiver of terror down her spine. Even so, now her eyes drooped, and the sleep came easy.

* * *

 **A/N: Just wanted to get back into the groove of writing. I am having a time of it collecting my thoughts and my brainstorm writing into one cohesive thing, so it can be a story. I don't even have an ETA, but you'll get these one shots from time to time :) Love you guys 3**


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